Moonbrains
by Isis Magic
Summary: Set two years after the BDM, during the 2nd war for Independence. Rayne. Features Jayne's Family. Please Review. Special Thanks to all my Reviewers: You are incredibly helpful! Sequel coming soon!
1. Chapter 1

Moonbrains

There was so much fear, anger, exhaustion, hatred, and death flowing into River Tam's brain that she couldn't distinguish her own feelings from that of the crowd of fighters taking cover around her. The new breed of Browncoats all but revered River as a goddess. She felt that amongst the emotions flying all around her. They had faith in her. They believed they couldn't lose if River Tam was in their unit.

As rapid and unceasing fire kept them pinned down in their bunker, River felt their faith in her rapidly fail. She couldn't blame them. Her own faith was beginning to falter, as well.

"What's yer plan now, Moonbrain?" Jayne asked, anger coming off of him in waves. Of course, with Jayne, this was only par for the course.

"Thinking," River answered.

"Well, quit thinking and start doing already!" Jayne yelled gruffly. He wanted to jump over the bunker and charge the Alliance.

"Getting yourself riddled with holes does not help the Independents," River said patiently. She put up her hand as Jayne started to talk again. "They're hungry. And afraid," she said, referring to the Alliance. "They don't want to meet River Tam."

"Don't blame them that one," Jayne muttered.

River ignored him. "Only need to take out their Sergeant. The others are ready to surrender if anything happens to them." He was their Malcolm Reynolds. He was pulling everyone together, telling everyone that River Tam was just a girl. Were any of them really afraid of a girl? Keep firing. We'll see if the girl can dodge bullets.

"All right, where is he?"

River pointed. Jayne fired.

Ten minutes later the Alliance surrendered.

"We make a good team," River said as they made their way back to Serenity, parked in the middle of the Browncoat camp.

"You coulda fired the gun yerself," Jayne said.

River stopped walking and put a hand on Jayne's arm to make him stop and look at her. "No," she said. "I couldn't."

Not for the first time, River got the impression that Jayne was trying to figure if River was a weapon or a girl. And, if she was a girl, was she still a girl or was she now a woman?

He did understand what she meant, though. It was a far more difficult thing to single a person out and kill him than it was to fight in a battle. It was even worse when you got inside a person's head, discover all their secrets, learn all the things they'd never said to the people they loved, see all their family. It made River's blood run cold.

Jayne could pull the trigger and not think about it. He had that luxury. River didn't.

"Heard you two displayed more thrilling heroics out there today," Mal greeted them at Serenity's door, his arm still in a sling from his disagreement with a crashing fighter jet. He'd be back to fighting the Alliance in a week or so. He was already back to fighting Inara.

"You should be resting," River said sternly.

"Right you are, Albatross, but I just had to see the two heroes in."

River narrowed her eyes at him. The Captain was thinking very hard about – ducks?

Jayne pushed past the Captain and into the ship. "All right, we're in. Hope you got some good grub waiting for us. Living legends need real food."

The Captain smiled at River as she slowly passed. "Um, you might wanna get cleaned up, you know, with something nice. Connor decided to uh – stop by."

River thought she heard Jayne laugh coldly at Connor's name. Like River, Connor was a pilot. He was only twenty and had a reputation fro being very good at his job and hating the Alliance with a terrible fury.

The Captain liked him.

Twenty minutes later, as River stepped down into the dining area, a cheer from Serenity's crew, plus Connor, greeted her. "Happy birthday, River!" Simon said, stepping up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Day is a - " River began.

"We know. 'Not applicable,'" Kaylee said, smiling and holding up River's cake. "Does that mean you don't want any of this?"

"If not, I'm sure we'll find something to do with it," Jayne added. He'd quickly changed clothes, too. He was now wearing his best shirt, the button down one usually reserved for chasing women.

Upon the Captain's insistence, River sat down at the head of the table and blew out her candles. All the fears and troubles she'd felt on the battlefield were washed away by laughter and love. She had a family again. She was a girl again.

"Heard you were brilliant today, as always," Connor said as Kaylee passed out slices of cake.

"Brilliant would have been winning without firing a shot," River said calmly.

"Where's the percentage in sparing the Alliance any pain? They wouldn't spare us. Didn't last time. Every last Alliance dog deserves to die," Connor stated.

River glared at Connor, wishing she really could kill him with her brain.

"That'll be enough war talk for now," Mal ordered from the other end of the table. "Got celebrating to do. Not every day lil Albatross turns nineteen."

An awkward silence settled down for a moment, until Simon spoke up, "Besides, we still have presents for her to open." Simon handed River a box. "Not that they'll be a surprise."

River took the box with a smile and ripped it open with the enthusiasm of a five-year-old. She held up the bran new toe shoes and ran the silky ribbons through her fingers.

"What use are those gonna be out here?" Connor asked.

"Girl just likes to dance," Jayne muttered gruffly at River gave Simon a hug of thanks.

Mal slid down a large box, saying, "Now this here's from me and Zoe. Too new, we think, but we figure you'll take care of that soon enough."

River opened it up and shook out a long brown coat. They were right; it was too new. River wished it could stay like that. Clean. An innocently brown coat. She smiled and resisted the urge to ask if it had been on sale.

Kaylee plopped a rumpled package down on River's lap. A lacy crocheted shawl that matched Inara's gift. A beautiful new dress, long and silky, with deep purples and hints of blue.

As the celebration would down, Connor asked River to go for a walk. She obliged, not because she particularly wanted to, but because the Captain had smiled at her, wanting her to go and be a real girl for a while.

While they walked, Connor did most of the talking. He hadn't quite figured out that River didn't need him to talk so much. He was glad the Independents had River, called her a gift from heaven. He was sure they'd win this time. And when they did, he hoped to be right there by River's side. He gave her a ring for her birthday and hoped she'd wear it.

She answered that she didn't like jewelry.

He still kissed her goodnight just outside Serenity's door.

River closed the door behind him. "Hello, Jayne," she said, turning to look at him. He was coming out into the open from deep within the hold.

"Evenin'," Jayne responded. "Connor didn't look all that happy to leave. Not going for Young Pilot of the Year?"

"You think I need a boyfriend, do you? Someone to love me?" River asked angrily.

Jayne shrugged. "Just a bit curious. Seems to me ya might be a bit too cooped up fer your own good. Thought you'd like some boy chasing after you. Thought you'd be wanting - "

He wanted to say sex.

" – someone. By now."

"Connor and I are incompatible," River said. Jayne didn't understand this. She explained further. "He only wants one thing."

"Ah, hell, Moonbrain, that goes without saying."

River sighed and shook her head. "No. I can understand a boy-man wanting to bed me. I can even respect that. It's an honest enough intention," River said. "But Connor wants to be able to tell all his friends that he slept with River Tam. Yes, _the_ River Tam." She shook her head again. "He might as well want to sleep with the Lassiter."

Jayne looked down at the ground, thinking. "Best not let the Captain hear that about his prodigy," he said after a moment. "Mal's likely to go and put a bullet in him."

"I can take care of myself," River said, not defensively, just as a reminder.

"Awe, hell, we all know that one, Moonbrain. Just sometimes, ya know, brain's and knowing's got nothing to do with it. Some thing we just gotta protect."

Like a sister.

Or your woman.

River's heart skipped a beat. "You were waiting up for me," she reminded him.

Jayne looked up, took a few steps towards her, and handed her an awkwardly wrapped package, smaller than a shoe box. "I wanted to give ya your birthday gift."

"I didn't think you - " River stopped. He'd been embarrassed, didn't want the others to see. She opened the package. A small gold gun with a ivory handle fell into River's hand.

"It's a cunnin' lil piece. Looks and feels like an ordinary pistol, but it's all laser," Jayne explained.

River didn't know what to think.

"It's just in case, you know, you need to shoot somebody, and I'm not around to do it for ya."

River looked up into Jayne's blue eyes. Those confusing blue eyes. Sometimes they were hard and cold, like you would expect from a mercenary's eyes. Other times they were soft, revealing Jayne's self-doubt and his big heart. Like the Captain, Jayne was far nicer than what he led people to believe right off.

"It's a beauty," River said slowly.

"Glad ya like it," Jayne smiled slightly. It was an odd expression for the man ape gone wrong, River had to admit. A little unsettling, actually.

"Is that all you wanted to give me, Jayne?" River asked, knowing the answer, but, like always, preferring to hear him say it.

Jayne titled his head to the side. He was thinking how like that little pistol she was. She looked like a woman and felt like a woman, but she had something far more powerful inside. Something maybe he shouldn't mess with.

"Being truthsome, no, that's not all," Jayne said after a moment. "But I don't think you're like to approve of what else I want to give you."

River thought for a moment about taking matters into her own hands, dropping the packaging and grabbing Jayne, leaping into his arms in one skillful and elegant move. And she knew he was thinking roughly the same thing, albeit more graphically than she was.

Oh, yes, she would approve.

"Happy birthday, River," Jayne said, his voice soft and rough. He turned quickly and walked away, as if he had better get out of there before he did something stupid.

River stood in the hold, her new gun in her hand, shaking her head. And he called _her_ a moonbrain.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Jayne, you got a wave. Waiting for ya in your bunk," Mal, on his way from the bridge, called to him as Jayne stepped into the hallway. "Little Albatross make it home safe?"

"Yeah, Moonbrain's back."

Mal nodded and started walking away.

"Listen, Mal?" The Captain turned. "I don't reckon you should be pushin' River toward Connor."

"What are you talking about?" Mal asked. "That's a fine boy. Maybe a might twitchy about the Alliance, but who ain't and wearing a brown coat?" Mal turned back. "You got that call waiting for you, Jayne. Sounded mighty urgent."

Jayne retreated to his bunk. Never could tell that stubborn son of a whore anything bad about the people he'd decided to like. "Fine boy my ass," Jayne muttered, flipping on his screen.

"Where's that God-fearing boy left home eight years ago? Alls I see is a foul-mouthed mountain of man bearing his eyes."

"Mamma?" Jayne asked, hardly believing his eyes. Radiant Cobb looked old, tired, and worn out. Jayne knew something had to have gone straight to the deepest circle of hell for Mamma to call him.

"Close your mouth, boy. I taught you better than to stare at folk."

"Mamma, you ain't got a screen."

"Callin' from Junni's," she explained, referring to one of Jayne's older sisters who lived in town. "That girl's got every convenience imaginable now. Mighty fine home." Mamma Cobb took a deep breath. "But I didn't call ya to talk about how fine Junniper's doin'."

Patience was a virtue that Jayne lacked. "Is it Matty? He all right?"

"Oh, both Matty and Jasmine are fine. What I'm talking on refers to Jaxon."

"Little Jaxon? What's wrong with him?"

"For starters, you're little brother ain't so little anymore." Jayne did the math. "Sixteen, Jayne. Near a man with no Cobb around to show him how it's done."

"Jordan and Jaime? Where in the verse are they?"

"I haven't the slightest. See, two years ago there was this wave. And the second those two middle sons of mine saw it they decided they just had to fight in this awful war. Without them around, well, Jaxon's been lookin' for his own way to becomin' a man. Fell in with the Marshall gang. Not universally bad like what you're dealing with, but worldly bad enough to tear this family apart."

Jayne looked away. He should have been there to keep Jaxon in line. He was the oldest boy, after all.

"Now, boy, you haven't always done smartly by our family. Can't deny that fact. But you've always done right. As best you could. By us. Now, Jaxon's got himself in a pickle. And I'm sorry to ask it of you, Jayne, but you've just gotta come home and get him out of it."

Not once in eight years had his mamma called Jayne or hinted that he should come home, even when Jesse died or when Matty was sick. "I'll find a way, Mamma."

The next morning, Jayne was sitting in the kitchen, chewing on how exactly to tell Mal he was leaving, when a bowl of oatmeal – or what passed as oatmeal – landed angrily on the table in front of him. Jayne jumped slightly as River sat down beside him with her own breakfast. Before he could ask what the big deal was, throwing food at him, the Captain entered the room.

"Where is everybody?" he asked.

"Kaylee and Simon are reluctant to leave Kaylee's bunk this morning. Zoe is coming up behind you, and Inara isn't coming to breakfast," River answered. "She's mad at you."

The Captain just looked at her for a minute.

"Haven't you learned by now, Captain, not to ask a question unless you want an answer?" Zoe asked, stepping down beside Mal.

"I'm a slow learner. This has been said," Mal answered, still eying River. "Anyways, I've an announcement to make. We're getting off this rock. Monty wants our help further in. Seems he's got some kind of grand plan he wants River in on." Mal crossed his arms over his chest. "We've got six weeks afore we need to be there. Figure we could all use with a little vacation."

Jayne nodded. At least now he wouldn't have to desert the Browncoats. Not that he had officially signed up or anything, but the Captain would have been more than a little miffed if Jayne had just up and left. Jayne could go and get Jaxon out of trouble, then meet up with the rest at Monty's.

"Can't go alone," River said suddenly.

The Captain, who had just started getting his breakfast, looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Can't go to Achilles by himself," River announced.

"Shut it, Moonbrain. It ain't got nothing to do with them," Jayne growled.

River looked him in the eye. Jayne hated when she did this. Most times it merely freaked him out, but lately the look made him want to hit her. Or kiss her.

"If it was a one-man job, they'd have done it already," River said in a harsh whisper. "They'll kill you. And then they'll kill them. _Tell_ Mal."

"All right, does one of you want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Jayne rose from the table, his eyes still locked with River's. "I've a notion to visit my mother on Achilles. I'd like to take a shuttle iffin we're gonna get close enough."

"You won't get it back," River sang.

"Gorramit, girl, mind yer own business!" Jayne yelled.

River jumped up, sending her chair crashing loudly to the floor. "Won't! I won't let any more of my family die!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Jayne saw Zoe look down at the ground.

"Pulled jobs like this one afore. Hundreds of times afore you come along. I'll be fine. I always am."

"This isn't a job! He's your brother!"

"What the hell is going on?" Mal yelled.

"Not rightly sure, Sir. Sounds like Jayne's planning to get himself killed."

Jayne opted to ignore Mal and Zoe's conversation, and yelled back at River, "That's right. My kin. My responsibility. Not bringing anyone else into my business. Taking care of my own."

"You'll probably crash the gorram shuttle before you even get there!" River said, taking a step closer to Jayne.

"I fly just fine, thank you!"

River started laughing at him. Jayne glared at her, wanting to smack her.

"Zoe, do you get the feeling I'm no longer in charge of my own kitchen?"

"I do, Sir."

"Survived this far! Still alive, ain't I?"

"Until the law on Achilles gets hold of you. Mamma Cobb was always afraid you'd end up on the gallows one day on account of that temper!"

"You reckon we're gonna end up on Achilles?" Mal asked.

"Wouldn't surprise me a bit, Sir."

Jayne got right in River's face, about ready to strangle her. "Don't you ever talk about my mamma," he said quietly.

There was still anger in her eyes, but he saw the flash of fear. Good to know Jayne was still intimidating. Even to the great River Tam.

River tilted her head slightly, the way she did when she'd heard something interesting. He expected her to comment, like she did so often, on his thoughts. It was an annoying habit, but one he'd gotten used to.

"You _need_ me," River stated.

"Huh?" Jayne was taken off guard.

"You're always taken off guard," River commented. "This time it's personal. You won't be able to go in, guns blazing, grenades flying, not giving a damn if any innocent people die, because it they die, it's their own gorram fault for getting in the way. This time, you care. You'll need me to point. Hell, this time, Jayne, you might even need me to shoot."

For a moment the kitchen was quiet, and Jayne realized how very close his face was to River's. He backed off. Moonbrain had a point.

Still, though. "No percentage in getting the rest of you killed," Jayne said, more matter-of-fact than angry.

"You think a street gang's gonna beat _us_?" River asked.

"Where in the verse is Achilles?" Mal asked, as if he'd been thinking about it and couldn't remember. Not surprising. Achilles was a nowhere planet.

"Three days hard burn," River said.

"Can't do hard burn. Fuel's too valuable these days," Mal said.

"But we should get there in plenty of time to clean up this mess, whatever it is, before meeting up with Monty," Zoe said logically.

"Wait, Captain, ya don't know what you're signing on for, and that ain't right," Jayne said.

Mal shrugged. "Street gangs, the Cobb family, a planet we've never even heard of before. That sound like a fine way to spend your leave, Zoe?"

"I wouldn't say 'fine,' Sir, but it does sound pretty interesting."

"Should be right easy next to what we've been doing these last two years," Mal added.

Jayne wasn't sure his ears were working right. "Mal, we can't pay ya nothing for this here job, and I don't even know - "

Mal put up a hand. "Jayne, call your Mamma and tell her you're coming home with friends."

Jayne stomped angrily out of the kitchen and headed for the hold. He heard combat boots following him, but didn't stop. He needed more open spaces.

"You're so angry all the time," River commented, still following him. "You're brain's on fire. I should worry about it melting out of my ears if I were you." She caught up to him as he was going down the stairs.

He turned on her suddenly, and she almost ran into him. "You ain't me," he said roughly. "And ya had no gorram right to tell the Captain about my personal business!"

River tilted her head at him again. "What were you going to do?" she asked. "Go up to the Marshall boys and just shoot them all in the brainpan? Three brothers in one shot. That would have been a sight to behold." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Or maybe set up with a sniper rifle and pray to God that Jaxon wouldn't get caught in the crossfire and that none of them got away." River shook her head. "Face it Jayne, you've got no mind for plans. The only thing you're good at is surviving. And how's that going to help Jaxon?"

Jayne turned back around and started walking away. "I can take care of my own."

Jayne heard the combat boots start walking back from whence they came. "Also," River added from the door to the hallway. "You couldn't fly a paper airplane." Then she was gone.

"Gorram Moonbrain," Jayne muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The crew of Serenity was getting ready to leave later that afternoon. No one was saying exactly what the trouble was, and instead of worrying about that, Kaylee had opted for the brighter side of things. Finally meeting Jayne's family. "You reckon Jayne's got nice folks?" Kaylee asked Simon as he restocked his med kit.

"If a family that raised an ape can be nice, sure," Simon answered off-handedly.

Kaylee leaned up against the infirmary counter. "Come on, I thought you and Jayne had an understanding now. Or are you just mad 'cause he's back to fighting with River?"

"He never _stopped_ fighting with River," Simon answered.

Kaylee rolled her eyes in disagreement. River and Jayne had actually been getting on like old friends for a while now. Kaylee suspected a kind of war buddy bond was growing, like what the Captain and Zoe had. "Ain't ya curious to see where Jayne comes from? I mean, he's so rough and angry all the time! His pa's probably a real tough guy."

"His pa's really dead," River said, poking her head into the infirmary.

Kaylee suddenly felt awful. "Oh," she said sadly.

"Ten years ago. He pretends to be over it by now."

"River, we've talked about you sharing personal - " Simon began.

"You're still a boob," River interrupted.

Kaylee smiled and barely stifled a laugh.

"Better I tell her than she say something accidentally hurtful to Jayne. He's really a sensitive ape."

"Aren't you supposed to be out for a walk with Connor before we leave?" Simon asked, ignoring River's point, which was a good one, in Kaylee's opinion.

River rolled her eyes and left the infirmary.

"She doesn't like Connor," Kaylee said after she was sure River was at least out of earshot.

"What? Of course she does," Simon said, closing his med kit. "I've got to go check on a couple patients before we leave. They were hurt pretty bad, and I want to make sure the other doctors are going to follow my instructions this time." He kissed Kaylee on the forehead before rushing out of the room.

Kaylee sighed. Simon was the dumbest smart guy in the 'verse.

"Kaylee, there yar," the Captain said, suddenly standing in the infirmary. "Think you can get the mule running smooth 'fore we set down on Achilles?"

"The mule, Captain?" It had been sitting in the hold for months. It was dead. Kaylee was just keeping it for parts.

"Knew you'd like a challenge." Kaylee glared at him. "'Sides, you got five days to sort her out," the Captain said, disappearing from the infirmary as quickly as he'd arrived.

Kaylee grumbled to herself as she stomped to the engine room to grab her tools before heading down to the hold. There was no time like the present to get started. For most of the trip to Achilles, Kaylee was stuck in the hold working on the mule. The vehicle was like a mess of twine. Once she'd sorted out one problem, three more appeared, the knot only getting bigger and more complicated.

The Captain stopped by a few times, asking how things were coming. Usually, Kaylee replied in rough Chinese and the Captain retreated back to wherever it was he was spending his time.

The third day into Kaylee's work, the Captain made the mistake of commenting, after a particularly harsh torrent of Chinese, "Oh, now, it can't be as bas as all that."

"Watch out, Captain!" River called from the stairs as Kaylee hurled a wrench in his general direction.

The Captain didn't come back to bother her anymore after that.

It was the fourth day, as Kaylee was slowing down and fine-tuning her work on the mule, that she realized Jayne and River had been working out together every afternoon, their disagreement apparently forgotten.

"Don't understand the sudden interest in lifting weights," Kaylee overheard Jayne say to River.

"Doesn't take brains," River answered.

Kaylee looked up from the mule's engine. River was down on the bench, Jayne spotting. The weights looked too big for River, but she was apparently lifting them easily.

"No," Jayne said in agreement with River's statement. "That's enough, Moonbrain." He tried to take the bar from her.

"I can do more," River said, ignoring him.

"No such thing as a prodigied weight lifter," Jayne said, grabbing the bar a bit more forcefully this time.

River yanked against him but couldn't get it out of Jayne's hands.

Kaylee almost laughed. They were like kids fighting over their toys. She went back to work, but couldn't help glancing back at them from time to time.

"Yer gonna wear out yer muscles, and yer arms will be useless tomorrow," Jayne said, giving another pull on the bar. With River still pulling at it, Jayne managed to put the bar back in its home above the bench.

River sat up, pouting slightly. "I know I'm not weak!"

"Never said ya were," Jayne said. "Doesn't matter, though. If ya aren't used to the workout, it's gonna hurt. Figure that's why you like it. No moonbrainin' yer way around it. Takes time. Patience. Commitment."

Kaylee wasn't sure she was hearing right. It certainly didn't sound like Jayne's usual philosophy. Shoot first, regret how stupid your plan was later. "Learn something new about folk every day," she muttered to herself. She looked back up and saw that River was now standing, facing Jayne.

"Hope it's worth it," River said softly. It occurred to Kaylee that she might not be talking about weightlifting anymore. But what she was talking about, Kaylee couldn't hope to guess. River slipped by Jayne, taking his place as spotter.

"It is," Jayen answered.

"Isn't Mal ever going to give up on that thing?" Inara asked, coming down the stairs. She stopped in front of the mule, commenting, "It looks older than _he_ is."

Kaylee shrugged, throwing down her tools. It was time for a break. "The Captain never lets go of anything what he can help it."

Inara shook her head. "How's it going? Does the beast live again?"

Kaylee held up an index finger for Inara to wait a minute. She climbed up into the mule. "Let's see if we can get a pulse," she said, pushing the ignition button.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, Kaylee, I'm sorry. I know how hard you've been working on it. If you couldn't fix it, no one could."

"Don't give up just yet, Inara." Kaylee pushed it again.

Nothing.

Again. Harder.

Nothing.

"Kaylee - " Inara started.

Kaylee put up a hand. She would not accept defeat. She had not _wasted_ four damn days of tranquil flying. She just hadn't. Muttering in Chinese, Kaylee pushed the ignition again. The engine turned over and started to purr like a little kitten.

A second later, it hissed. Then coughed. Then blew up.

Kaylee coughed, blinded by the thick, black smoke. Waving her hands in front of her, she managed to call out to Inara. "You all right?"

"Kaylee?" Inara asked, coughing so badly, Kaylee could barely understand her.

As the smoke cleared, Kaylee saw Inara was covering her eyes with one hand, grasping the mule for support with the other, and still trying to breathe without coughing.

Jayne and River rushed to the mule. "Simon!" River yelled, running ahead.

"Come on, 'Nara," Jayne said, scooping Inara into his arms. Inara's response was to cough some more and try to get out of the mercenary's grasp.

"Oh, Inara! I'm so sorry! Are you all right? Jayne, is she all right?" Kaylee asked, frantic.

"I reckon you'll be all right, 'Nara. Got yer lungs full of smoke is all. Doc'll fix ya right up. But stop that squirming, or I'll drop you down the steps." Inara stopped fighting him, and Jayne started up the stairs toward the infirmary.

"Her eyes! Why's she covering her eyes?" Kaylee asked, rushing after them. How could she have been so stupid? That mule was a lost cause. It was a wonder it hadn't exploded into a fireball and killed them all.

"It's." Cough. "Okay." Cough. "Kaylee," Inara tried as they entered the infirmary.

Jayne set Inara down and got out of the way, opting to stand in the doorway with River. Kaylee stood at Inara's side as Simon started the examination. He'd already gotten her an oxygen mask and was working on washing out her eyes when the Captain stormed into the room, driving River into Jayne as he passed.

"What in the sphincter of hell just happened?" he yelled.

"There was a little accident," Simon told him.

How much Kaylee loved him at that moment! She never could talk to the Captain after she made a mistake. She felt like a failure, like she'd disappointed him. It was far worse when the Captain was angry.

And, man alive, was the Captain _angry_.

"Mule blew up," River said in the doorway, resuming her previous potion in the middle of the doorway. "Kaylee tried to fix it like the Captain said, but engine wouldn't turn right. Blew up." As always, River was calm, matter-of-fact, answering the question before it was asked.

Without another word, the Captain stormed out of the room. In getting gout of his way, River backed right into Jayne's arms. The two shared a look before Jayne put his hands on River's shoulders and gently pushed her to the opposite side of the doorway, like he was putting a China doll back on a shelf.

"Is Inara going to be all right?" Kaylee asked.

"Yes," Simon answered. He had finished the eyewash, but Inara's eyes were still really red, and Kaylee could only imagine the hurting she was feeling. Putting a hand on Inara's shoulder, Simon told her, "Your eyes and throat will be sore for a while, but you'll be absolutely fine."

"I'd stay away from the mule," Jayne commented from the doorway, nodding decisively. Inara offered him a weak smile. River giggled, like she was failing to hold it in anymore. Kaylee still felt too guilty to be amused. It could have been so much worse.

Suddenly, a muffled bang reached the infirmary.

"What now?" Kaylee asked hopelessly.

Zoe came up between Jayne and River, hands on her hips, expression perplexed. "Does someone want to tell me why the Captain just _shot_ the mule?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

From orbit, Achilles looked like a decent place to call home. Zoe stood at the back of the bridge, watching the planet go by. River was flying. Mal watched from the co-pilot seat, his feet up on the consol. He was there for the view, same as Zoe. The Captain always found planets he'd never visited before interesting. River was more alert, looking out for a place to land.

Achilles was a hard planet. It was true all terra-formed planets had their quirks. Half of Achilles was oceans. The other half seemed to be all mountains. Smallish valleys were scattered throughout, but none of _them_ were big enough for profitable agriculture. There was only one flatland of a decent size on the whole of Achilles. The Heel.

That was where the Cobb family had their farm, and that is what River was looking for.

In the Northwest corner of the Heel, there was a town called Styx. Thirty miles, give or take, from the town was where Jayne had grown up.

"There it is," Zoe muttered as they flew over a huge expanse of flat land. "How Jayne talked, I was thinking smaller."

"Is smaller, once ya git down there," Jayne said from the doorway.

Zoe turned to look at him. He was nervous. Armed but trying his hardest to hide it. Zoe had guessed Jayne was not expecting a warm welcome from the townsfolk of Styx, though she had yet to learn why exactly. Probably the only one who knew that was River, and she, for once, wasn't telling.

"Once you start planting all the crops for the whole gorram rock, well, not much room left for folk," Jayne explained as River started the descent.

"Go down easy, Albatross. Don't need to announce our arrival to the good people of Styx," Mal reminded.

"Girl knows the plan, Captain," River said tensely. Zoe guessed she was picking up on Jayne's nerves. "Zoe guesses correctly, but don't tell the man-ape," River added.

It was a further testament to Jayne's nerves that he had no response for that comment.

"Nothing seems to have changed much," Jayne said after as they got lower. "There's Mamma's house right thar." Jayne pointed for Mal and Zoe's benefit. River was already working on putting Serenity down in the front yard.

The house was a massive, two story structure with a wrap around porch and a balcony above it that followed suit. It was a fading white and in need of a fresh coat of paint. There were brown shutters at the windows, which were actually real glass, a luxury not too common on the farming planets. Several cats, disturbed from their naps and play times, scattered in all directions as Serenity touched ground.

"Bet you had your own room in _that_," Mal commented.

"Pa always said, if you're going to do something, go all the way and do it gorram right," Jayne said.

"That why you have six brothers and sisters?" River asked.

Jayne grunted in response and left the bridge, anxious, perhaps to set foot on solid ground.

"Eight years he said?" Zoe asked.

"With barely a word from them," Mal nodded. "A few letters. Jayne sent them money. That's been it." He rose from his seat, nearly knocking a plastic dinosaur off the copilot consol as he went. "Well, let's go be big damn heroes."

Zoe started to follow, but noticed River hadn't moved. "You coming, honey?"

River was staring at the house. When she spoke, it was with that eerie knowing in her voice, the kind Zoe had not yet gotten used to. She figured now she never would get used to it. "Too empty. It hurts to be so empty. Hardly anyone there. Echoes in the house. Pain answers their calls."

"We do this right, Little One, maybe we can stop more pain descending on that house," Zoe said, hoping she sounded encouraging. It wasn't a mode she was particularly talented at. "Follow when you're ready."

Zoe met the rest of the crew at the door. Jayne was standing there, in front of the controls, frozen. "Jayne? Isn't the point in coming here to get your little brother out of trouble?" Mal asked. Jayne nodded, but he didn't open the door. "Well, how you figuring on helping him if you stay on the ship?"

Jayne shook his head. "Just need a minute."

"A minute? Jayne, you've had near a week!"

"Mal," Jayne said gruffly. "I'm wanted by the law on this here rock."

"Can't imagine a place you've been where ya ain't," Mal said calmly. "Sooner you open the door, the sooner we can fix this and get you off this rock again."

"Afraid," River said from the back of the hold.

"I ain't afraid of nothing, girl."

"Afraid you won't be able to make yourself leave," River continued anyway.

Jayne glared back at her and opened the door.

"Well, about time!" an older woman yelled from the porch. "Now, Jayne, you bring your friends in here straight off, and I'll git you all something to eat!"

This, Zoe concluded, was Radiant Cobb. She was younger than Zoe had expected. She didn't even look fifty! Zoe couldn't imagine having kids as young as Radiant had had to start. A pleasantly plump woman, she was about Kaylee's height, and she looked absolutely wonderful for having given life to seven children out here on this harsh world. Although she had many wrinkles forming, they all appeared to be laugh lines. And this was Jayne's mother. Somehow, whenever the 'verse seemed to be finally making sense to Zoe, something else happened to throw her off track.

Heading into the house, Zoe saw a little red-headed boy, about eight years old, running around the corner of the house and out of sight.

"Mamma - " Jayne started, stopping in the entrance hall.

"I'm glad to see you too, Jayne, now get on. Get on, lead them into the kitchen, Jayne boy!" She said, standing at the door and ushering them all in. "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing!" she exclaimed behind Zoe.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cobb," River said politely, sounding for once like a completely normal girl, that eerie knowing tone gone.

"Oh, dawlin', call me Mamma. Everyone does 'round here." Up ahead, Jayne gave a surprised look back, and Zoe got the feeling he would have been sending River daggers with his eyes if Mamma wasn't around. "Now," Mamma Cobb said when they'd all sat down at the massive kitchen table. "When was the last time y'all had something _real_ to eat?"

"Mamma, you don't gotta fix us nuthin'," Jayne said from one end of the table. Inara, who was awkwardly sitting between Jayne and Mal, looked for once unsure what to do with herself. Kaylee was smiling brightly across the table from Inara, and Simon was watching everything in calm interest. River, at the opposite end of the table, seemed to be staring off into space. But, Zoe knew she was listening with great interest.

"Oh, she just wants to show off her fine cookin' talents," a young woman said from the back of the room. She was standing at a door that led out the back porch. The girl looked about twenty. She had long blonde hair tied messily into a partial bun and brown eyes. Over her long, green calico housedress, she wore a stained white apron. She seemed tired but also incredibly curious, and more than once those brown eyes snapped to Inara. Zoe imagined she was skipping out on a long list of chores to see the new arrivals.

"This here is my daughter-in-law, Miriam Cobb," Mamma Cobb explained proudly. To Jayne's confused expression, she added, "Jaime's wife. She's staying with us while he's off trying to out-fly the Alliance."

"There'll be no trying 'bout it, Mamma," Miriam commented. "Jaime's the best pilot ever to come out of Achilles."

Under his breath, Jayne muttered. "That don't take much."

"We understand another Cobb is off fighting with the Browncoats? A sniper?" Mal asked.

"Jordan. Yessir, he's off using his perfect eyesight in a way I'd never imagined." Mamma Cobb shook her head. "Don't know where in the 'verse they've sent him now, but he writes that he's the best in his unit."

Zoe could easily believe it, considering how good a shot Jayne was. She was admittedly surprised that someone sharing Jayne's genes would be a decent flyer.

"Everyone is," River whispered so only Zoe beside her could hear.

"Now, let me get you some biscuits, and I'll start in on supper."

"Mamma, we need to talk about Jaxon," Jayne said.

"Now, Jayne. Got no reason to rush into it like that." Mamma Cobb set down a tray of biscuits.

Jayne put a hand on her arm. "We ain't here to eat, Mamma. What's Jaxon done, exactly?"

Mamma Cobb patted Jayne's hand. "Nothing that can't be undone. Not yet," she said. Zoe caught something in her eyes as she looked down at Jayne. Whatever Jayne had done here, it was clear not even his mamma had forgotten about it.

"Mamma! Mamma! Sheriff's coming!" The red-headed boy Zoe had seen on the porch ran into the kitchen. Jayne jumped up and fled into a pantry off to the right. The rest of the crew was left looking around at each other, confused expressions on all their faces.

Except on River's. She was looking rather bored.

"Matty, where are your manners?" Mamma Cobb asked. "And where is your mother?"

"She says she won't see Uncle Jayne until he's hangin' from a gallows," Matty said.

Mamma Cobb smacked the back of his head. "Now, don't you talk like that, boy. Uncle Jayne is not going to hang."

Matty rubbed the back of his head. "_I_ wasn't talking like that! Ma was! Why ya hit me for what Ma said?"

Mamma Cobb ignored him. "This youngen is Matty Cobb, my daughter Jasmine's son. You'll have to forgive his lack of manners."

A woman about Zoe's age stomped into the kitchen wearing tall, black cowboy boots, long blue jeans, and a star-shaped badge on her green shirt. She slipped her black hat off her head and revealed long, curly, brown hair. Gazing around the kitchen, her blue eyes finally landed on Mamma Cobb. "Might intrestin' boat ya got out thar, Mamma," she said.

"Captain Malcolm Reynolds, ma'am." The Captain stood up and extended his hand. He liked her. Zoe resisted the urge to roll her eyes. River did not. "That boat's mine," he continued, not seeing the reactions of his crew. "Named - "

"Serenity. I can read, Captain Reynolds," the sheriff interrupted. She looked around the table. "Inara Serra, former Companion. Kaylee Frye, mechanical genius. Simon Tam, surgical genius. River Tam, just plain genius. Zoe Washburne, old-school Browncoat." She nodded. "Ya, you look about the most random collaboration of folk in the 'verse."

Zoe was sure she wasn't the only member of Serenity's crew that found the extent of the Sheriff's knowledge a bit unsettling. It was true most everyone following the war had heard of them. With River aboard, it was hard to go unnoticed.

"This is the Sheriff of Styx," Mamma Cobb said. "Junniper Clayton."

From the right, a crashing sound caught everyone's attention.

Junniper walked calmly over to the pantry, opened the door, and said to a very surprised Jayne, "Welcome home, little brother."

Jayne replied in very eloquent Chinese.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! First I got the plague, and then I started Grad School, so my free time has been very limited the last two weeks or so. Thanks for all the comments and encouragement! I will try to update more often in the future, and I appreciate your patience! Hope you enjoy Ch. 5 and that it was worth the wait!**

* * *

Chapter Five

Mal looked from the sheriff to Jayne. He hadn't seen the mercenary this confused since first setting eyes on that eerie statue of him in Canton. "He's your – Jayne, are you going to explain this?"

Jayne, still looking like a moonbrain with his mouth hanging open, looked at Mal but offered no explanation. Not even a grunt.

"His sister's the sheriff. The 'verse has a sense of humor after all," Simon muttered from the opposite side of the table.

"Jayne? Something you wanna say?" Junniper Clayton asked, backing away from the pantry to let Jayne retake his seat at the head of the table. "Or are you planning to catch some bugs in that big ol' gaping mouth of yers?" She smiled, walked back around the table, and took a seat between Simon and River.

"What the hell happened to Clayton?" Jayne asked.

"Clayton's who now?" Mal asked.

"My husband," Junniper answered. "He was Sheriff." Junniper pulled several photographs and media cards from her back pocket. "This bastard killed him." She tossed one photo to Mal, and read parts of his file off of the media card. "Marcus Marshall. Age twenty-five. Got that scare in a bar fight some years back, loss of vision kept him from joining the Browncoats. Or, so he says."

The scar she pointed out ran the length of the right side of Marcus Marshall's face. He had curly dark hair and a long beard. His dark eyes were cold and angry. He looked mean enough to jump right out of the photo and gut the first person he came across. Styx could keep him. The Browncoats wouldn't have wanted this kind in their ranks, not if they could help it.

"Clayton had a mind to stop the Marshall brothers before they take over all the Heel. Damn near close to it, they are. Anyway, Marcus here took offense and put a bullet in Clayton's brainpan."

"And somehow the next logical step was to make you Sheriff?" Jayne asked.

Junniper shrugged. "No one else wanted the gorram job. Not with the Marshalls around." She tossed another photo on the table. "Meet Mercury. Middle child. Only smart one in the bunch. Supposedly the man with the plan."

Mercury looked rather clean for a criminal mastermind. Mal thought he looked to young to have developed a decent criminal mind, and he actually reminded him somewhat of Simon. Clean-shaven, properly dressed in a dark suit. Mal would have guessed him a lawyer of businessman rather than a gang leader. Aside from being young and too clean, Mercury wore strange purple glasses that made him look like an idiot.

"What is wrong with his eyes?" Simon asked.

Junniper shrugged. "Not a clue. Rumors abound. He's going blind. He's the devil. He's trying to make a fashion statement. Get close enough to ask him, and I'll be impressed. Bastard's right slippery. Haven't caught him for anything. Ever. Even Marcus there was caught a few times before the three teamed up and got smart." She held out a third picture. "This is the baby. Zacharias Marshall. Age twenty-one. My husband arrested him a dozen times for everything from assault and robbery to pissing in the fountain in the middle o' town square."

Mal shook his head. "Baby" was right. The photo of Zacharias was obviously taken at one of his earlier arrests. He didn't look even fifteen. His hair was straight and hung in his eyes. His face was fatter than his brothers', and he was smiling. Smiling. He'd just been bound by law and the kid was happy about it. Mal couldn't help but think, if things had been different, he'd probably like this kid. He seemed his kind of stupid.

"What kind of game are they at now?" Mal asked.

"Takin' things to the next level," Junniper answered, sitting back. "They rob places every few months, trash houses, murder anyone gets in their way. Charge people for protection and the like. They've got control of the whole town, most of the surrounding farms, and they've got respect from the mountain folk. And with all our decent - " Junniper looked at Jayne, " – and some of our indecent – sons off fighting the damned Alliance - "

"Nobody's been able to put a bullet to 'em," Mal finished.

Junniper nodded.

"Where's Jaxon in all this? How'd he get involved?" Jayne asked.

"Mercury took a liking to him. Said he could help him pay for his own ship. Little brother's been hankerin' to grow up and out of Achilles for a long time now."

"Since he found out why Jayne left?" River asked. Mal found it odd that she was posing it as a question.

"Sometimes, I do think so, but I think it's more he just got restless. Wants to do more, be more. He's not old enough for the war, so." Junniper shrugged.

"Couldn't anybody talk him out of it?" Inara bravely asked. "He must know how dangerous these three are."

Junniper shook her head and threw her arms in the air. "Jennie and Murphy've got their own problems, and he plain wouldn't listen to Mamma or Jas. And what am I supposed to do? Arrest him?" Junniper laughed. "They'd kill him fer sure if they thought for a second he'd betray them. Then they'd kill me. Then probably Mamma and everyone in the house, for good measure." She blinked. "Actually, come to think, I don't rightly know why they haven't killed me yet."

Silence fell on the table.

"I'd rather you somehow got Jaxon out of this before there's any real fighting," Mal said after a few moments.

Junniper rolled her eyes. "I think we'd all prefer that, _Captain_." She shook her head. "You got any idea on how?"

"Kidnapping would be good," River offered. "Lock him up in Serenity. Take out his friends. Let him go."

"Now you're talking, Moonbrain," Jayne said. Junniper glared at him. "Hog-tie the boy. Take him with us if needs be."

"You hankerin' for _another_ one of your kin to wish you dead?" Junniper asked.

"Junni!" Mamma Cobb yelped.

Junniper leaned forward. "Well, it's true! Jasmine will never forgive him! We take Jaxon, what makes y'all think he won't resent us for it later?"

The doctor opened his mouth as if to ask a question. "Not now, Simon," River said softly. Mal agreed. Best wait until they were back on Serenity to ask just what Jayne had done to his sister Jasmine.

"If it saves him, I can live with him hatin' me," Jayne growled, glaring hard at his sister.

"Perhaps a compromise can be reached," Mal said, trying to end the staring contest between the two siblings. "Could give the boy a chance to come willing."

"You figure that will actually work, Sir?" Zoe asked.

"Could be he'll have realized by now just what he's gotten himself into. Could be he's just waiting for a chance to get out of it."

Mamma Cobb dropped several plates on the table along with a serving dish of roasted chicken. Miriam came along behind her with cornbread. Mal hadn't even realized they'd slipped out. "You'll be needing your energy to defeat a Cobb's pride, Captain. Don't we all just live and die by it," Mamma Cobb said angrily. Miriam slowly shrank back to her corner, avoiding Mamma Cobb's eyes. Mal didn't blame her. He sure didn't want to make the lady angry, either. "Don't know how you're gonna _find_ Jaxon to kidnap him. Always with those damn Marshalls now."

"Mamma!" Miriam whispered, shocked.

"Oh! Damn them to Hades!" Mamma Cobb yelled. "I can cuss at the devils took my boy from me!"

Junniper was the one avoiding Mamma Cobb's eyes now.

"We aim to do a bit more than cuss at them, Ma'am," Mal said.

"I reckon they'd deserve it," Mamma Cobb answered.

Mal looked at the pictures again, feeling the full weight of what was at stake. It wasn't a normal job. "I would rather size them up in person, this being a mighty personal venture, need to be takin' as much precaution as we can."

Junniper laughed. "If you manage to get close to any of 'em and come back without any holes, I'd be surprised. Might have to consider you a hero. There'd be poems and songs."

"They'd crash if we had ourselves a party," Miriam offered softly from her corner.

"Girl, you're about as crazy as that moonbrained husband of yers," Junniper said. Miriam looked away, embarrassed.

"Actually," Mal said, "That might work. Put the Marshalls at ease for why there's a spaceship in the middle of a farm. And get us a good glimpse of their character."

"Exactly!" Miriam said, excited. "Why, we couldn't let Jayne come home without throwing him a party! The town wouldn't think a thing of it!"

Jayne put up a hand. "Won't the good folk of Styx take an extreme dislike to my being here?"

Junniper shook her head. "With the Marshalls around, who the hell cares about an eight-year-old murder case? 'Sides, got no Sheriff. No real Sheriff, anyhow."

"Family's in crisis and we're going to throw a party?" Mamma Cobb asked, clarifying.

"Have to see what kind of snake it is before we know which medicine to use," River said.

Miriam was now beaming with pride. "Oh, Mamma! We can welcome Jayne home proper and have the whole neighborhood!"

Mamma Cobb was not thrilled. "Well, you take that hand and you take charge of the whole thing. Be good practice for when Jaime comes home."

The girl actually jumped up and down. "Oh! Mamma! Thank you! Oh, it will be a wonderful shindig! I'll take care of everything, and no one will ever know it's a front! I promise!" The girl bounced out of the room, apparently unable to wait even a minute to get started.

"There'll be no livin' with her after this," Junniper said, nodding toward Miriam's corner. "You think Jasmine's going to be okay with this?"

"Leave your sister to me, Junni," Mamma Cobb answered.

Mal wondered again what the hell Jayne had done to earn such hatred from his sister. This _was_ Jayne, so the possibilities were endless.

When the door to Serenity was finally closed late that night, the crew, Jayne included, having decided to stay on the ship rather than infiltrate the Cobb's farmhouse, Mal turned to Jayne and said, "All right, I've been as about as patient I can be. Now you're going to explain to me why it seems your sister wants you dead."

"I reckon that's none of your business, Captain," Jayne said harshly. He faced Mal but didn't move from his spot in the hold. The others slowly moved off to the sidelines, River heading for the stairs.

"I reckon it is, seeing as how we're in the middle of this mess." Mal took a step closer to Jayne.

"As I recall, no one asked y'all to come!" Jayne yelled.

"Maybe you'd prefer to fix this all yourself then!" Mal yelled back.

"Maybe I would," Jayne said, turning and walking away. On his way up the stairs, he paused by River. He glared at her, and she nodded. He nodded back before slipping by her on the way to his bunk.

As the hold emptied out, River followed Mal to the bridge. "It's been a long day, River. A lot of - "

"Input. Not enough output."

"You got something you need to share, Albatross?"

"He doesn't want Kaylee and 'Nara to know," River stated calmly.

"Who and what?"

"Jayne and what he did eight years ago."

"Now, look, girl, that's for Jayne to tell me. Not you. You got to stop - " He was going to say looking in people's heads.

River shook her head and interrupted him again. "He wants me to tell you. He can't talk about it. He's very sensitive, you know."

Mal rolled his eyes. "All right, get on with it, then."

"He was hurting her and Jayne went there to stop him."

"Who?"

"Nate. Jasmine's husband. He beat her. Nearly killed her twice. Then Mamma found out she was pregnant, and Jayne went to Nate. He wasn't going to stop hurting her, and he was going to kill the baby. So Jayne stopped him with a bullet."

Mal nodded in understanding. He would have done the same thing. "And Jasmine never forgave him?"

River shrugged. "Jayne doesn't think so."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The next morning, Jayne took two steps out of Serenity and found himself nearly knocked down by a woman wearing a calico tent. "Jayne!" Jen, his oldest sister, yelped, letting him out of her embrace. "My lands! I could scarcely believe it when Mamma told us you was coming! And now here you are! Taller than ever! Showing up in a gorram spaceship on top of everything! Bonafied hero, you turned out to be, aye? Well, always knew you'd make something outta yer life. Find yerself a respectable woman to go along with yer respectable career yet?"

Jayne back away as he tried to figure out what to comment on first. "When I meet a respectable woman, I'll tell ya," he muttered. He looked at his sister. She was so old. Or, at least, she looked old. She was only thirty. The cost of living on Achilles was high.

"Can't wait forever, Jayne boy, or all the respectable ones won't want ya."

None of the respectable ones would want him now. Jayne switched topics. "Where's yer kids? Have three now, don't ya?"

"Oh, yes. They're coming later with Murphy. Can't all of us take a vacation, ya know. No such thing as leave from reality." Jen shrugged. "Unless you're a moonbrain, a course."

"So what are you doing here, then?" Jayne asked.

"Well, obviously, Jayney, I'm here ta help with yer party. Just 'cause that little sister of mine is the most ungrateful prairie harpy in the 'verse don't mean you should get a substandard homecoming sing-in."

"It is not going to be a sing-in," Jayne clarified, trying not to imagine his older sister singing. Girl could talk the wings off a fly, but she sure as hell couldn't sing. And no one had been able to convince her of that yet.

"Oh, Jayne boy, you love sing-ins. Murphy's bringing his guitar and little Surna's got quite a talent with Daddy's old fiddle. Even little Cole's got himself a harmonica now. We'll have a nice little band." Jen moved on, apparently feeling the issue was now resolved. Jayne decided to conspire with Mamma to keep Jen away from the stage. "Now, do you still like chocolate cake, or has someone or other reformed you?" Before Jayne could answer, Jen continued, "That sweet little thing in the kitchen says you'll be happy with anything so long's it's not protein."

"How in the 'verse would Miriam know what I'd be 'happy' with?" Jayne asked.

"Mmm?" Jen looked momentarily confused. "Not that ninny. You know, none of us are happy with Jaime marrying the poor creature and then going off to get himself shot down by the gorram meddling Alliance. But would he listen to any of us? Lordy, no." She paused, and Jayne could almost see the wheels in her head begin to turn backwards as she tried to remember where she'd been going with this. "Oh. River."

"River?" Jayne repeated.

"Jayne, is there something wrong with your hearin'?" Jayne rolled his eyes. "River said you'd like anything that weren't protein and that she's lookin' forward to dancin'. I figure her for an awful fine dancer. She surely has the body for it. Such a tiny little cute thing she is, ain't she?" Jayne blinked. "Well, anyway, Jayne boy, I oughta be getting' myself back in there and helpin' out afore Miriam goes and ruins your party. Girl means well, but she just can't cook."

Jayne spent the remainder of the day helping set up for the party and avoiding Jen. It was in conjunction with the second effort that he slipped into the barn late that afternoon.

"Are you hiding from Aunt Jen, too, Uncle Jayne?" Matty asked. The kid was sitting atop a pile of hay like he was king of it.

"What makes ya think that, boy?" Jayne asked.

"'Cause we're hidin' from her, too," Matty explained.

Jayne was about to ask who "we" was when River stepped out from behind the hay pile. "We are enlisting the aid of natural substances for self-preservation and survival," River said.

Matty nodded and smiled. "That means we're making a fort out of hay to help us hide from Aunt Jen," he said proudly.

"Why?"

"Because it's here and there's so much of it. And it's fun."

"I meant why are you hiding from your Aunt Jen," Jayne clarified.

"Then you need to be more spacidic," Matty said sternly.

"Specific," River corrected.

"That's what I said, River!" Matty argued. "Anyway, we're hiding from Aunt Jen 'cause she's bossy and mean."

"And because we were both banished from the realm of pots and pans."

"That means kitchen," Matty told him. Jayne nodded. Outside, someone yelled for Matty to come inside. "Uh-oh, that's Ma!" Matty yelled. He slid off his hay mountain. "She won't like iffen she finds me here with you, Uncle Jayne." Matty took off, leaving Jayne and River alone in the barn.

"So, what, did you tell Jen I don't like chocolate or something?" Jayne asked, needing to fill the awkward silence.

"I told her she was adding too much flour," River answered. "Don't eat the cake. It will be uncommonly dry."

Jayne chuckled. "Yeah, sounds like a Jen cake." The awkward silence resumed. Jayne busied himself by taking a look at the hay fort. It didn't look like much.

"We didn't get to finish," River said. "Matty likes to talk."

"That's kids all 'round."

"He wants to know why his mother doesn't like you, but he's afraid to ask in case she's right about you. He likes you."

"I'm glad she hasn't told him," Jayne said. The kid didn't need to know what a bad hand he'd gotten by way of uncles. Murderers, deserters, and gang members. Not a good one in the bunch.

River looked at him. "So you know," she said after a few moments. "You're a good man, Jayne Cobb."

Jayne met her eyes and for a moment couldn't look away. What exactly about Jayne screamed "good man"? He was a killer. Sure, some of the men he'd killed had deserved it. That didn't make it quite right. Leastways, it wasn't what Jayne would call "good." Not to mention the fact that this sentiment was coming from River Tam. The River Tam he'd tried to sell out on more than one occasion. Oh, yes, that was the mark of a real good man.

River nodded. "You are. I know."

At least she wasn't threatening to kill him with her brain. Jayne decided to take it and run.

That evening, Jayne stood near the buffet table to greet guests as they arrived. Beside him stood River, observing, she claimed, a rare social event she was not likely to see again. It was a surprisingly crowded party. Among the invited guests were farmers from all around their neck of the Heel. There was even one family that came down from the mountains. None were particular friends of Jayne's. Most had been friends of his father's and had remained good family friends to the Cobbs after John's death. River claimed most of the guests were just curious about Jayne's sudden reappearance. "They're hoping for a show," she whispered to him after a couple from town arrived.

As everyone was starting to have some fun, the Marshall brothers and their gang appeared on a herd of four-wheelers. Jaxon was with them. There were about twenty of them all together. Junniper came up beside Jayne as the gang walked towards the crowd. "'Nough to break your heart, ain't it?" she asked. Jayne said nothing, staring at the new arrivals.

"Sheriff Clayton," a tall young man greeted as he led his gang into the party. Mercury looked somewhat sickly and weak to Jayne, and even more dandified than Simon. How he'd gotten control of a street gang, Jayne couldn't figure.

"Mercury Marshall," Junniper nodded. "We ain't lookin' for trouble. You and yer boys are welcome here. Have some food. Enjoy a few dances, maybe."

Mercury, through his trademark purple-lensed glasses, glared around the party scene. His eyes swept over Mal, who wasn't hiding his own curiosity towards the gang leader. Mercury's eyes landed momentarily back on Junniper before he nodded and ushered his gang into the party. The eldest brother, Marcus, stayed with the vehicles. Jaxon slid past Jayne without even a glance.

"I think I'll take ya up on yer hospitality," the youngest Marshall brother said. His eyes went to River. "Especially on the dancin'."

Jayne suddenly wanted to punch him.

Zacharias smiled slyly. "So, how's about it, girly? You like to dance?" he asked.

River smiled and said, sweetly and with what Jayne knew was a fake accent, though he doubted Zacharias Marshall would be able to figure that part out, "I surely do." She took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the part of the yard renamed "dance floor" for the evening.

Jayne stared after them, wondering what in the sphincter of hell River was playing at. Junniper was looking at him. Jayne turned to her. "What?" he asked gruffly.

Junniper shook her head. "Nuthing. Just haven't seen you lookin' like that since Vera McKinley dropped you fer Sam Reed."

Jayne stomped angrily away. This was nothing like that. Nothing at all like that. He couldn't help, though, watching River dance. "A creature of extraordinary grace," the Alliance had called her. What made Zacharias think he knew how to handle a girl like River? She was too graceful, too powerful, too full of life and energy and mystery for a kid like Zacharias. Or even a kid like Connor, for that matter. No, no little boy could handle River Tam. She needed someone who knew how to handle a woman properly. A man.

"A fine young woman, that River," Mamma said, suddenly appearing in Jayne's path.

"That's the general opinion," Jayne said shortly, still watching as Zacharias danced around with River through another fast-paced song.

"Wouldn't mind a lick if one of my daughters was like her."

"What?" Jayne asked, his eyes now snapping to Mamma's.

"Well, she's good with chil'en. Matty's been talking up a storm 'bout her. And she's got a mind for cookin'. Claims it's all them math-em-matics, but I knows it's good instincts. Learn all the math in the 'verse, you'll still end up with gravy what tastes like wood iffin ya don't have the instincts to go 'long with it."

Jayne blinked.

"And she's been takin' good care of you, which endears her to me," Mamma finished. "No, can't say I'd mind her bein' my daughter."

"Mamma, you got a wrong idea in yer head. There ain't nothin' - "

"I seen how you look at her. How she looks at you. There's a girl what knows you, Jayne, and looks at you anyway."

"She's just a kid, Mamma. I got no right thinkin' of her like that," Jayne said, going back to watching River dance. Besides, no way in hell did Moonbrain feel anything for him. And even if she did, the rules wouldn't change.

"There was twenty years 'tween your daddy and me," Mamma commented. "Nuthin' 'tall wrong with liking 'em young, Jayne."

The music turned slow, and River shot Jayne a look. He wondered if he should go mount a rescue op. River nodded as Zacharias pulled her closer, forcing River's body into him. Barely containing his sudden rage, Jayne stomped onto the dance floor and tapped Zacharias's shoulder. "I think this dance is mine. Maybe you can git the next one."

"And what if I want this - " Zacharias stopped mid-sentence when he turned and saw Jayne towering over him. You didn't have to be a moonbrained Alliance science experiment to know what the kid was thinking. "I'm hungry anyways," Zacharias muttered, retreating.

River waved. "Thanks for the dance, Zachy!" Zacharias waved back, still watching Jayne fearfully.

"Zachy?" Jayne repeated.

River shrugged. "You do know we have to dance now, right? Not just stand her like a couple of moonbrains." Jayne blinked. "Here, I'll help you." River took his right hand and put it on her waist. Then she took his left hand in her right and put her left hand on his shoulder.

"I know how to dance," Jayne said defensively, pulling her slightly closer. "What were you thinking, dancing with Zacharias?"

"I like to dance," River said innocently.

"Why didn't you just keep dancing with him then?"

River blinked. "Because I wanted to dance with you," she said simply. Jayne pulled her a little closer still and tried not to think about how soft she was, how her new dress made her look every inch a woman. He was filled with the sudden urge to kiss her. "So do it," River whispered.

That broke the spell. The music picked up tempo again, and Jayne pulled away, leaving River on the dance floor alone.

So he wanted her. He could ignore that. He certainly couldn't actually have her, so the subject was closed. It was only lust. It would pass. It wasn't like he couldn't find a willing woman who wasn't an off-limits moonbrain.

"What are you really doing here, Jayne?" Where the hell had Jaxon come from? "I know you got better places to go on leave."

"I can't come fer a visit?" Jayne asked.

"Not unless Jasmine's forgiven you," Jaxon glared at him. "And she ain't here. So, I guess that's a no. She ain't the only one who was pissed when you left, you know."

Jayne shook his head. "I did what I had to do, Jax. You're old enough to know that. Kin's everything. That's why I'm back."

"How do ya like my new family?" Jaxon asked.

Jayne grabbed him by the neck of his T-shirt. "They ain't yer family. One day you're gonna realize that, Jaxon. And when you do, you better hope I'm around to help you do what you have ta. 'Cause I guarantee you won't be doin' it yerself and coming out alive." Jayne shoved him back. Jaxon shook his head, glaring angrily, but said nothing. Jayne turned and walked away. Having had enough of the shindig, he retreated to Serenity.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** I am so sorry for being so late with this! I rewrote this chapter, not kidding, three times. Finally I have one that I like, and I hope it was worth the wait! Thank you all so much for sticking with me and waiting patiently! The good news: the semester is almost over, workload slightly decreasing, and very soon I will have loads of time for writing. Thanks again for all the support! Comments are always appreciated!

~ Isis

* * *

Chapter Seven

River was sitting on the steps in the hold, thinking. For one shiny moment, it had almost felt like it wasn't Jayne the mercenary and River the moonbrain. He had been Jayne the man, and she'd been River the woman. As if he'd heard her thinking about him, Jayne chose that moment to walk in. River glared at him for a second. "You think too much," she told him.

"What?" Jayne asked idiotically. He was busy thinking of ways to teach Jaxon a lesson and trying not to blame himself for the disaster that currently enveloped the Cobb family.

"You left me without a dance partner," River said, letting her voice grow softer. "It was rude." Matter-of-fact. No judgment. Okay, a little judgment. But he deserved it.

"I'm rude. How is that a surprise, Moonbrain?" So she was back to Moonbrain. Good to know. Jayne continued into Serenity, going around her as she rose from her seat.

She smoothed her shiny new dress, realized he was noticing again. She'd worn it so he would notice. River chanced a glance at him. He knew why she'd worn it. He turned again, refusing to play any of River's girly games. Was she a girl then? It didn't matter, really. She wasn't playing any games.

"You didn't kiss me. You wanted to. Still want to," River said. "But you won't."

Jayne stopped on the overpass but wouldn't look at her. "You know why that is, too, don't you, Moonbrain?"

"Because you wouldn't stop with a kiss. Couldn't stop with a kiss. Never stop with a kiss." River paused. "You wouldn't stop 'til you had me in your bunk and made a real woman out of me." She put a hand on his arm, wishing she could make him understand that she wanted it as much as he did.

Jayne turned and looked at her.

"So do it," River said, touching Jayne's face.

For a moment it seemed it would happen. Jayne would kiss her, pull her into his arms. They'd go to his bunk and he'd quickly relieve her of her slinky dress, not damaging an inch of it. She'd be a woman. Not just any woman, either. Jayne's woman.

But the moment passed.

She heard Shepherd Book's voice in his head. "If you can't do something smart, son, do something right."

And Jayne figured this was neither smart nor right. He took her hand from his face. "You're already a real woman, River," he said. He turned again and quickly retreated toward his bunk, afraid he would change his mind.

River knew all the reasons she shouldn't like Jayne. He was an ape. Without the training. He'd betrayed her. More than once. He was a killer.

So was she.

The flipside began. All the reasons to like Jayne. He wasn't as stupid as everyone thought. He just knew the percentage in letting everyone go on underestimating him. He'd betrayed her to save the crew. And for money, but he'd also thought she and Simon were dangerous. He was mean because he had to be. He'd killed because he'd had to.

So had she.

Growing up was confusing. River decided she wasn't a fan.

She didn't sleep well that night. Strange dreams. Vivid dreams. Dancing. Slinky dresses and strong arms. Shared dreams. River awoke in surprise several times. If a dream could make her feel like this, she was almost afraid to find out what the reality would feel like. Almost.

"Where the hell is Jayne?" Mal asked loudly stomping into the Cobb's kitchen the next morning.

River snapped upright in her chair. She'd been contemplating falling asleep in her oatmeal. Could one drown in oatmeal? What a sad death that would be . . .

Zoe, giving River a quizzical look, offered one explanation, "Maybe he had too much fun last night."

Nope. No one had had too much fun last night.

"Means he would have had to relax for five minutes," Inara said, sipping her tea. River avoided Inara's eyes. River had been turned into a psychic, but sometimes she thought Inara had been born one.

"You don't suppose he ran into any trouble?" Kaylee asked, worried. She wasn't eating any breakfast. River tilted her head a moment. Why?

"It's Jayne. We couldn't kill him if we tried." Simon said, trying to be reassuring and funny. It was kind of cute. And sad.

River lost interest in Kaylee's stomach. "You are incorrect," she said. "We could kill him rather easily. Just need a pipe. Or a wrench. And an airlock."

"River," the Captain interrupted her fantasy. "Where is my mercenary?"

She met the Captain's eyes. "He's hiding from me." A wave of surprise hit the kitchen table. A lot of them were remembering the butcher's knife. Was she _ever_ going to hear the end of that?

"Oh, did you two have a lovers' spat?" Miriam asked, setting a bowl of oatmeal on the table for Mal.

Simon sprayed his tea across the table. Kaylee and Zoe started laughing. River didn't look at anyone, especially Inara, who was watching her. "Oh, no," Mal cleared it up. "That's about as likely as me becoming king of the universe and wearing a shiny hat."

Miriam blushed. "Oh. Sorry. I just thought - "

"Believe me, Captain here would have Jayne's head on a spike before he let him touch our River," Zoe commented.

"Not to mention Simon would a died from a stroke," Kaylee said through laughter.

"Any of y'all seen Junni?" a woman asked as she entered hurriedly. She looked like Junniper and even talked like Junniper. She did look softer than Junniper, slightly more plump. She wore a housedress. Junniper hadn't even worn a dress to the party the previous night. River blinked. Twins. This was Jasmine. Confusion stirred in the room.

"Didn't she go on back to town last night?" Miriam asked.

Jasmine shook her head. "How should I know? I just got this feeling something's wrong."

"The psychic connection between twins is a myth," River stated, trying to take a rational approach. She also wanted Jasmine's displaced anger off of Miriam. She liked Miriam.

Jasmine's blue eyes snapped to River. "Yeah, and mind readers don't exist, neither."

River tilted her head. Good point.

"I'll ride to Jen's and see if Murph will help us out."

"Don't you think that's a little premature?" Mal asked.

Jasmine looked at him, eyes ablaze.

"She could just be sittin' at home with breakfast. I suggest we pause - " He was going to also suggest sending her a wave.

But Jasmine pounced. "I know she's in trouble. You all _Browncoats_," she said the word like it left a nasty taste in her mouth, "don't know a damn thing, so I'm gonna find myself a farmer to help me."

Mal didn't know what to be offended by first.

Then there was a crash at the door as someone with combat boots kicked it open. Mal and Zoe had their guns out before River could tell them to calm down. Everyone else backed into the walls, readying for a fight. Everyone except River. She calmly moved all the breakfast things to a side table by the door.

Jayne stomped in carrying Junni. He put her gently on the table before turning on Simon. "Don't just stand there! She's hurt!" He hadn't noticed the guns. Mal and Zoe put them away.

"What the hell happened?" Jasmine yelled.

Jayne actually jumped. "Acknowledging my existence now, are ya?" Jayne snapped back. There was mild surprise at his vocabulary. Then attention went to Junni.

She was unconscious. Her clothes were torn, there were bruises all over her body, and River suspected, as did Simon, that there was internal damage. She was lucky Jayne had found her when he did.

Jasmine was muttering angrily in Chinese.

Jayne was ignoring her.

Kaylee left the room to throw up.

"I found her in the barn," Jayne said lamely after a moment.

"What were you - " Mal started.

"I went for a walk. Needed air." He exchanged a look with River. Inara noticed. "Found myself in the barn."

Jasmine stepped forward and started stroking Junni's hair. "Damn Marshalls. Damn them to Hades," she muttered.

A flash from Jayne's memory.

A scene very much like this one. Jasmine beaten and laying in her old bedroom upstairs. Junniper muttering. "Damn Nate. Damn him to Hades." Clayton assuring them he would do everything he could to put Nate in prison this time. "Like that will solve anything," Junni had said. "What someone needs to do is put a bullet to him."

The memory faded. Jayne stomped out of the room.

"Now where the hell is he going?" Mal asked.

"To kill the Marshalls," River said with a sigh.

"Stop him," Junni muttered softly, stirring. "Stop Jayne." She tried to get up. Simon and Jasmine pushed her back down.

"It's all right," River said, putting a hand on Junni's shoulder. "I'll get him." River rushed out of the house and towards Serenity. "Jayne!" she yelled into the empty hold. Too late. He was already in his bunk gathering weapons. She ran after him, pausing momentarily at his door. She'd never been down there before. First time for everything.

River slid down, not bothering with the rungs. "Jayne," she said. He was busy attaching weapons to various parts of his body. "What are you doing?"

"You're the mind-readin' moonbrained genius. Can't you figure it out?" Jayne continued with his task.

"You saw how many men they have," River said calmly.

Jayne held up a couple grenades. "That's why I'm bringing these."

"And what about Jaxon."

"Little piss-ant will get what's comin' to him."

"You don't mean that."

Jayen turned on her. "Don't you tell me what I mean!" he yelled. "You saw what they did to her!" River had never seen him so angry. And she'd seen him plenty angry. "No brother of min could stand by and let that happen!" He moved towards the door. River readied herself for a fight. "Now get out of my way."

"No." River stood her ground, blocking his path.

Jayne tried again. "Move, River," he told her, his voice now a low growl. He didn't want to hit her. Wasn't right to hit a woman if she didn't hit you first. Or come at you with a butcher's knife.

River shook her head.

"Fine," Jayne said. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Before he could put a hand on her, River got out of the way, and grabbed his arm.

She kicked him in the back and pinned him against the wall. "You are not going to get yourself killed on my watch, Jayne Cobb," she said sternly.

Jayne lunged backward, successfully throwing River off him. He turned and backed her into the wall. Leaning down, he looked straight into her eyes. "And who the hell made you my gorram keeper?" he asked angrily.

"Self-appointed," she said. "You mean too much to people for me to let you do something stupid."

He looked away. The fight was going out of him. He knew he would never actually be able to get past River if she really meant to stop him. He was suddenly tired, and anger turned slowly to worry about Junni. He still wanted to kill the Marshalls, but he knew River was right.

River was always right. How was this a surprise? River put a hand to his face. He didn't pull away. That was something. He looked back into her eyes. She stood taller and kissed him gently on the lips. He kissed back. Then she let go. They disconnected, he backed off slightly, coming back to his senses.

He shook his head. "I'm no good for you, River," he said slowly.

"Well, that excuse won't get you very far for very much longer," River said. "I'm not particularly good for you, either."

Jayne was confused.

"Butcher's knife," River said.

Jayne laughed. The tension subsided. He backed off more.

"Mind if we get back to Junni now?" River asked. Jayne nodded and started returning weapons to their rightful places. River started toward the door. "Meet you up top."

"River."

She stopped and looked at Jayne.

"Thank you."

River nodded, resisting a smile, and started climbing before she talked herself into doing something stupid. There was a time for everything, and now was not the time to linger in Jayne's bunk.

In the hallway, she ran into Mal. The Captain stopped short, surprised to see River leaving Jayne's room. "Thought I'd come make sure you didn't need any help controlling Jayne's temper."

"Nope," River answers. "I've got him licked."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Miriam stood in the corner of the kitchen beside the pantry, watching Dr. Tam work on her sister-in-law. His reputation, of course, preceded him. According to Jayne's letters, the "Doc" was a prissy dandy who was too clean to be any use out in the black, but a damn good doctor. Inara Serra was helping him clean Jasmine's wounds. The doctor's hands moved so quickly. Miriam could tell he was concentrating, but he remained a strange calm. Tight, Jayne had written. Miriam found him almost cold, and she wondered slightly what in the verse that sweet Kaylee saw in him.

Captain Reynolds walked back into the house, stood at the doorway, and nodded at Zoe. Seconds later he was followed by Jayne and River. The pair looked in on the situation and then quickly retreated in the direction of the living room. Jayne still looked mighty angry to Miriam. She was sure glad she wasn't a Marshall right then. And she sure as hell didn't want to be Jaxon when Jayne got ahold of _him_.

Captain Reynolds nodded again at Zoe, this time indicating that she follow him into the living room, where Miriam assumed they would all start planning. Miriam hoped it was a good one and involved a lot of death on the Marshalls' end of things. She wasn't sure how long Jayne could go without seeking revenge. Her guess, from Jaime's descriptions, was not long.

As the Captain and first mate left, Inara Serra followed them with her eyes. Then she got back to work helping Dr. Tam.

"Is she going to be all right?" Jasmine asked from the opposite corner of the room.

"There may be internal bleeding. We'll have to watch her closely."

"Is there anything I can do?" Miriam asked. She always felt so useless in these situations. She felt severely out of place in the Cobb house. She and Jaime had only been married a month when he'd up and left Achilles. The rest of the family hadn't quite gotten used to Miriam yet. And Jasmine never warmed up to anybody, it seemed. Though, personally, Miriam couldn't blame her a lick.

"You can let the doctor work," Jasmine muttered. If Miriam could have, she would have backed further into her corner.

"Actually, I could use some more clean water and bandages," Dr. Tam said. "Inara, would you run to Serenity and get my bag?" Inara nodded and quickly left.

"I'll get the bandages," Jasmine said, moving toward the doorway.

"Jasmine, let the girl help," Mamma Cobb said, suddenly appearing in the doorway.

Jasmine gave Miriam a look, then gestured toward the door. "By all means, Miriam."

Miriam stepped as quietly as she could out of the room. In the hallway, she overheard some of the planning in the living room.

"You can't just blow up what you think is their headquarters, Jayne," Zoe said.

"And why not?" Jayne asked seriously.

"Because the odds of it being right are not in your favor," River said gently.

"Are you suggesting I can't be right?"

"You've been wrong a lot, is all I'm saying."

"Thinking we play like we want to do some business with them," the Captain ignored the griping.

"That'll be awful hard, not knowing what business they're actually in, Captain." Zoe was smart. Why couldn't Miriam be that smart?

She went to the back room and retrieved bandages and some ointment. No use Dr. Tam using up all his own supplies if this would do. Miriam returned to the kitchen with her offerings. "Would this by any chance help, Doctor?"

Dr. Tam examined the bottle. He read off the ingredients, then nodded. "This should help keep the swelling down. Thank you, Miriam."

Jasmine, watching Junniper, said nothing. Mamma, who had taken Inara's spot, shot Jasmine a look, then said to Miriam, "You done good, Child."

"I ain't a child," Miriam said.

Jasmine's eyes snapped to her. "Ah, there it is. She's morphed into a Cobb. Finally growed you a spine, I see."

"Glad I could be witness to the momentous occasion," Junniper breathed weakly.

"You really shouldn't talk, Junniper. Try to get some rest," Dr. Tam said gently as he began with the bandages.

Junniper gave a "Pfft," but said nothing more.

"Awe, hell, you'll be all right, Junni," Jasmine muttered. "What'd we have to worry about anyhow? Doc's gone an fixed ya up already."

Inara reentered with the med kit, and Miriam exited. She stood instead at the doorway to the living room, deciding that if she was going to be useless, she might as well learn something while being so. The lag in activity soon vanished, however, as the door slammed open and Jaxon stumbled in.

Holy hellfire, these Cobbs could take a beating.

The boy looked like death warmed over. His face was all bloody, and she figured he'd hurt his middle something awful, 'cause he could barely stand. "Jaxon!" Miriam squealed. A second later she was embarrassed she had squealed so. A real Cobb wouldn't squeal.

Jaxon had just pulled himself to his feet when Jayne came stomping out of the living room and gave him a whack on the nose. Poor Jaxon was on the floor again. "Get up you little piss-ant!" Jayne yelled.

"Jayne!" River was by his side, with a hand on his arm.

Now, Miriam knew she wasn't exactly no mind reading genius or no doctor and she hadn't known neither one of those two very long, but, gorram it, there was something going on between them, and nothing but nobody was going to tell her otherwise.

"Get up!" Jayne yelled again.

"I can't," Jaxon gasped, clutching at his middle.

Dr. Tam popped his head out of the kitchen and asked, "Jayne, what did you do to him?"

"Ah, hell, Simon, I didn't even touch his stomach." Jayne glared down at him. River looked as if she were stifling a laugh.

"Who did this to you, son?" Captain Reynolds said.

"Who do ya think?"

"Well, I woulda said Jayne, but he's right here, claiming that ain't so," the Captain said. "Were there monkeys?"

Miriam arched an eyebrow. These were some strange folk. It wasn't the first time since their arrival that the thought had crossed her mind.

"Marcus Marshall," Jaxon said. "Beat the hell outta me after I jumped him."

"Attacking your new family, eh?"

"Jayne," Jaxon shook his head. "You think I could stand by and let him beat my sister like that? I had to do something."

"Was shooting him out of the question?" Jayne asked.

"Well, yeah," Jaxon said. "I'dda shot Marcus. Mercury or Zach'dda shot me. Dead I ain't doing nobody good."

Captain Reynolds offered him a hand up, which Jaxon took.

"I should really have a look at your nose," Dr. Tam said slowly.

Jaxon shook his head. "Nah. You concentrate on Junni. She's all right, isn't she?" Jaxon asked.

"Yeah, little brother, she's all right," Jasmine said from the doorway.

Mamma Cobb yelled from the kitchen, "Now, you all Browncoats, you'd better figure a way to keep that Marcus Marshall from hurtin' any more of us Cobbs." Mamma took over from there, ordering that they move Junni to her old room upstairs. She took a seat beside her bed and refused to budge. "Y'all figure it out on your own. I don't wanna hear nothing about it. Just do it already."

The crew of the Serenity, plus Miriam and Jaxon, reconvened in the living room. Miriam stood on the outer perimeter, just watching.

"All right, so, what's the real deal with these Marshall Brothers?" Captain Reynolds asked.

"What do ya mean?" Jaxon asked, flinching as Dr. Tam bandaged his ribs. Apparently, Jaxon had broken two of them and bruised most of the others.

"They ain't just a street gang going around terrorizing folk," Jayne said. "They gotta want something. So, what do they want? Money?"

"A cure," River said.

All right, that was eerie. River looked at her. Miriam immediately felt bad. But, now, come on, if River was the farm girl and Miriam the mind reader, River would think her eerie, too. River smiled at her. Oh, good. At least she hadn't completely alienated the girl.

"For what?" Dr. Tam asked.

"His eyes. Mercury's obsessed with his eyes. He wants to get to the core. Apparently they do this whole surgery there. Expensive as hell, but permanent. He wouldn't lose his sight." Jaxon tilted his head. "Apparently he don't wanna go blind."

"That's actually kinda nice," Kaylee said sympathetically. "Not the means, but the end," she stumbled over the words.

"Except it wouldn't work," River said. "His eyes are too far gone. But he's committed. Tell them the rest."

"Well, hell, I don't know why I should, you got yourselves a mind-reading witch. You don't need me to tell you anything."

Jayne tensed visibly at the word "witch." Miriam half expected him to deck the kid again.

"I'm making you uncomfortable."

"Very."

"I didn't need validation."

"All right, stop," Captain Reynolds said. To Jaxon, he continued, "Now, I wanna hear you say it. What is their major plan? How's he planning to get off this rock and to the core?"

Jaxon looked from the Captain to Jayne. What was that in his eyes? A certain reluctance mixed with, what, shame? Well, he had a lot to be ashamed of, that was true, but this was his chance to make up for it.

"They're sellin' ATVs to the Alliance."

Miriam blinked. "What?" She'd never been so angry. "You were going to help the Alliance?"

Jaxon looked shamefully at Miriam, then away. "It was just a way to make money."

"Your brothers are out there!"

"Yeah, and they aren't here anymore," Jaxon said angrily. "Look, I don't wanna talk about why I did it, okay? I just wanna stop them now, all right? So, can we get with the plannin'?"

"I don't understand, why wouldn't the Alliance just make their own ATVs?" Inara asked.

Kaylee and Jaxon laughed.

"Because they're pieces of crap," Kaylee said. "Take every bad idea the Alliance ever had in making a machine and put it into one vehicle, and that's what you've got in Alliance-made ATVs."

"They just ain't suited for rim worlds," Jaxon continued. "They're real pretty on the outside, but they can't take on mountains and frontier. They all fall apart. But out here, folks been making suitable ATVs for years. We've had to come up with better designs." Jaxon shrugged, then winced. "So then Mercury got the idea of selling them to the Alliance. Not just the designs, the actual machines. They'd just muck up the designs, anyway. Give 'em tried and true vehicles of a dependable nature for a more than reasonable price. That was Mercury's thought."

Captain Reynolds, who had been stone faced the last few minutes, asked coldly "You give 'em any yet?"

"Well, no," Jaxon said. "He's got half the money, but gatherin' up all the ATVs has been hard. Then there's the problem of transport. Can't have no Alliance cruiser set down on here." He looked back at the Captain. "We've been kind of dealin' with things as they come."

Miriam shook her head. She never wanted to smack a kid so bad in her life. What did the kid think was going to happen? That he could just betray his brothers and walk away? This wasn't like what happened with Jayne. Jayne had done right. Not particularly smart, but right. Jaxon was doing wrong by every possible meaning of the word. Except, of course, now. Miriam tried to remember that. Now he was turned around again. Doing right. Judging by his current state, not particularly smart, either, but right, at least.

As far as the plan went, Miriam figured they should get the Marshalls to trust them somehow. 'Course, no one on Achilles much trusted outsiders, especially ones that just showed up one day in a huge cargo ship with a whole crew of Browncoats in it.

"Serenity." Everyone looked at River. "We can tell them to use Serenity."

Jaxon laughed. "Yeah, like they'd believe you all would want to help them."

"They'd believe you would want to get back in their good graces," River stated calmly. Jaxon shook his head. "Oh, come on, I know for a fact you Cobbs can lie. Perhaps not well enough to fool me," she looked at Jayne, "But well enough to fool everyone else."

Had River gotten that from Miriam's wandering mind? River winked. Miriam smiled. Now, there was a girl Miriam wouldn't mind havin' as a sister.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Simon couldn't speak for everyone, but he was incredibly shocked when Captain Reynolds decided that, yes, River's idea could actually work.

"And since you Cobb boys are all lying sacks of . . . "

"Hey," Jayne mumbled.

" . . . the Marshalls would have to figure you didn't tell us what they were doing with your vehicles. Browncoats could certainly use all the equipment they could get their hands on."

Jaxon shook his head. "Everyone knows River there can read minds. How is it I'm supposed to have lied to her?"

"You are a mighty talented little worm," Mal said. "That's how."

"I'd go with the rumor theory," River said.

Simon knew not all the verse had heard of them yet. At least, that's what he secretly hoped. At any rate, not all that did know of them knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that River could actually read minds. Therein was the rub. "How exactly do you suppose we could approach them?"

Captain Reynolds thought a moment. "I think you'll be the perfect ambassador for us, Doctor."

"Excuse me?"

"His mind doesn't work that fast," River said. "You'll have to explain it further."

Simon glared at his sister. Yep. Definitely his sister. Brat. River stuck her tongue out at him.

"What I mean, Doctor, is that Mercury has that eye problem. Could be Jaxon let it slip that what Mercury really needs is someone to help him with that. With you here claiming to be the surgical elite, could be you'd want to help the person in need. Especially if he was willing to help the Browncoats in the meantime."

Simon was unconvinced. "You really think that could work?"

"Best bet we've got of getting someone in there quick, if Mercury wants his eyes fixed as bad as you think he does," the Captain said, aiming the last remark toward Jaxon.

Jaxon shrugged. "He'd sure as hell get suspicious if I brought Jayne or you along, that's for sure. No guns, that's a must. And, I do mean none at all. They've got a rule, see. You carry a gun, you're fair game to get shot yourself. Not carrying a gun, you'll just get the crap kicked out of you. But you'll live."

Simon held up an index finger. "I vote for not getting shot nor beaten up."

"Don't worry. I'll go with you," River said.

"I said no weapons," Jaxon said quickly.

"I can try again at breakin' your nose iffin ya want, boy," Jayne growled.

"River does make a good spy. No offense to you, Doc, but your sister's got the mind for detail."

"It's too dangerous," Simon and Jayne said at the same time.

Simon felt hell freeze over. Jayne blinked at him.

"I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, but the whole point was that we convince them that you couldn't read minds!" Simon said.

"So, I'm going to see Zacharias. Not as a spy."

"Zach does like you," Jaxon said. Jayne glared his way again. "What? I mean, hell, Jayne, who wouldn't like her?"

"That's enough of that. River, we aren't going to use you . . ."

"Who's being used? I thought I was volunteering."

"River, the answer is no."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did it sound like I was asking permission from my big brother? In case you missed it, Simon, I'm grown up. I can make my own decisions and take my own risks."

"Gorram Moonbrain. What makes you think you gotta be involved with everything, huh?" Jayne asked, looking River in the eye. Simon didn't know exactly what he saw there, but he knew it was something different.

"It's not a double standard. I'll be fine," River said to Jayne.

Great. River was having cryptic conversations with the man-ape, and Simon and Jayne were agreeing on something. The gorram universe was going mad.

"All right, Captainy decision time. River, Simon, and Jaxon will go make contact with the Marshall Brothers Gang. Let's say tomorrow morning. Give Jaxon here a bit of time to heal up. Tell them we're willing to transport their cargo for them. They'll no doubt come up with a grand strategy to take over the ship, but we'll steal their stuff before they get the chance."

Later that evening, Simon was trying to find eye-drops in the infirmary. He thought he had some for pain, but he wasn't finding any. Giving up, he headed to Serenity's kitchen to make some tea for Kaylee, who hadn't been feeling well. In the kitchen he stepped in on a conversation between River and Jayne.

"I don't gorram care if it is your decision," Jayne was whispering gruffly. "I don't like it."

"You don't like it because of Zacharias." River was being patient, standing on the other side of the kitchen counter, leaning slightly over, looking kind of bored.

"I don't like it cause you're goin' in there without me. Who's going to shoot for you?" Jayne asked, leaning down so he was almost eye-level with River.

"I won't have a gun." Patient. Matter-of-fact.

"That's not the point, River!"

"Simon."

"What?"

"At the door."

Jayne did a double take as he noticed Simon and backed up. River also straightened and sneaked out of the kitchen before Jayne could stop her. Jayne stood there awkwardly for a few moments as Simon stepped into the kitchen. "Hi, Doc," Jayne said, going back to what he had apparently been doing, which was drinking some home-made concoction of Kaylee's.

Simon stepped around into the kitchen and started making tea. After a few minutes of awkward silence, he asked, "What is it with you and River lately?" It was fairly blunt for Simon, but he figured he'd better not dance around the matter with Jayne.

"What do ya mean, Doc?"

"I mean, you wanting to protect her. The looks, the cryptic River-speak."

"River-speak is always cryptic," Jayne said.

"Jayne, you know what I'm talking about," Simon said, stopping what he was doing.

Jayne took another drink of the beverage. He shook his head. "I don't know, Simon. I'm being honest, here. I really don't know. She confounds me some, is all, I guess."

This time Simon did a double take. Kaylee had said that about him. This was not good. Not good at all. This, Simon was sure, was what going mad felt like.

Simon went back to the engine room, where Kaylee was laying on her hammock. "Anything wrong, Sweety?" she asked.

Simon made a noncommittal noise.

"Did you get that herbal tea?"

Simon looked at her and blinked.

"Did something happen between here and the kitchen?"

Simon nodded.

"Are you going to tell me what it was?"

Simon looked back towards the kitchen, then back at Kaylee. Then he sat down in the hammock with her. "I think Jayne likes River."

"Of course he does," Kaylee said.

"Yeah, yeah, River's a sweetheart, everyone likes River," Simon said.

"No, I mean he woke up and saw she's a woman," Kaylee said, stroking the back of Simon's hair.

"You don't suppose she likes him back?" Simon asked, looking Kaylee in the eye.

Kaylee shrugged. "She sure doesn't like Connor or Zacharias."

Simon laid down next to Kaylee. "You know what I'm hoping now?" he asked her.

"Nope, not a clue," Kaylle said, snuggling close to him.

"I hope the baby isn't a girl."

The next day Simon and River found Jaxon fiddling with the mule. When they entered the hold, he asked them, "Been in a lot of gun fights, have ya?" He pointed to the most recent bullet hole.

"That's from the Captain," River said shortly. "He got mad. He shoots when he gets mad."

Jaxon backed off a little.

"If Kaylee couldn't get it to start right, I doubt you'll be able to," Simon said.

"Well, she did most of the work. If she'd done about five more minutes worth, she'd have seen the problem." Jaxon held up a part. "This guy."

"What is it?" Simon asked.

"It's part of the gas gage," Kaylee said from the overpass.

Jaxon looked up, "Yeah, and it was messing everything up. It's the wrong size. You replaced it, right?"

"I replaced it with the right size," Kaylee growled.

"All right," Jaxon held up his hands in surrender. "You replaced it with the right size. But it'll run now. Purr like a kitten, it will."

"You fixed the mule?" Captain Reynolds asked, joining Kaylee on the overpass.

"Thought we could use it as an example of the pieces of crap the Browncoats have to run around on."

Kaylee and the Captain both glared.

Jaxon made himself small. "Mind if we take it for a ride?"

"Have at it," the Captain said.

Jaxon drove. Simon didn't exactly know what he'd expected in a gang's hideout, but this sure as hell wasn't it. "What the hell is that supposed to be?" Simon asked about the huge metal structure.

"Used be an airship hanger. Biggest one on Achilles. Then guy what owned it went broke, shot himself in the head, and folks started sayin' it was haunted," Jaxon supplied. Simon shook his head as the mule lurched to a stop. Almost immediately they were surrounded by goons with guns. Jaxon held up his hands. "Just gotta talk to Mercury," he told them.

"Well, I just wanna talk to Zachy," River said sweetly. It was unnerving, hearing her talk like a hormonal teenager.

"Hey, fellas, lettem in!" Zacharias yelled from the doorway. If one could call it a doorway. Half the end of the building had curved back into itself as it opened. "They ain't gonna cause any trouble with y'all hangin' around."

"Zachy!" River yelped, grabbing her bag and jumping off the mule. Simon wished she would be careful with that bag. Jayne had called the bombs his own special mix of stuff that makes people dust.

Mercury stood in the middle of the doorway, glaring. Or, Simon thought he was glaring. It was difficult to say with the dark glasses. Mercury crossed his arms over his chest. "You have something you need to discuss with me, do you, Jaxon Cobb?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Inara followed Mal up onto the bridge. "I can't believe you're just going to leave me behind while the rest of you are off risking your lives again!" she yelled to his back.

Mal didn't look back at her, but said, "I'm the Captain, Inara. That means I give the orders. You knew that was the deal when you decided to stay on."

"Decided to stay on? What choice did I have? You've ruined my career."

"Well, then, I guess you'll have to find some nice planet to just settle down on then, if you don't like it here."

"Mal," Inara started. Why did their conversations always end up going the same route? How many years was it now? It was getting old. Very old.

"Look, Inara, I need someone to make sure the Cobbs are kept safe through all of this. All your feminine wiles will be put to good use keeping that kid in the house," Mal said, turning to meet Inara's eyes.

Inara glared. "My feminine wiles?"

Mal shrugged. "I don't know. Make him think you need his help at the house. The point is that while we're leading the Marshalls away from the Cobb farm, none of the Cobbs get it in their heads to leave or try to help us."

"And what if it doesn't happen that way? What if the Marshalls just don't care about your ship?"

"Are you suggesting my brilliant plan won't work?" Mal asked.

Inara smiled. "Do any of your brilliant plans work? Ever?"

Mal glared. "All the more reason for there to be someone there who I know I can trust. Your job, Inara, is to keep the Cobbs safe. That's it. That's all. And that's an order."

"Oh, yes, Sir, Captain Reynolds," Inara said. After a moment, Mal went back to fiddling with the dials. He didn't know what he was doing. "They should be back by now," Inara commented.

"Might be I'm getting a little antsy about that fact myself," Mal admitted.

"Jayne's the one you should be worried about getting antsy. He's likely to go off after them."

Mal raised an eyebrow. "I got the impression Jayne figured whatever Jaxon got the kid deserved."

"I didn't say he was going to go after Jaxon."

Mal sighed. "What, do I now have two mind readers on my ship? Who's he going to go after, then?"

"River."

Mal laughed. "Since when would Jayne put himself in harm's way to save River, who obviously doesn't need saving, being the Alliance trained little Albatross that she is?"

"Since now," Inara said. "He cares about her, Mal. It's strange - "

"Downright the most moonbrained thing I ever heard of. Jayne? You mean like a big brother, right?"

"No, Mal. I don't."

Mal made a noise Inara didn't recognize. Well, he had to hear it eventually. Best be from an unbiased third party, was Inara's thinking. And the fact that Mal was now committed to this job and really needed Jayne alive to pull it off didn't hurt. Any normal day, Mal would have thrown Jayne out the airlock.

"The mercenary and the moonbrain?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Like what?"

Inara blinked. "The doctor and the mechanic?"

"Considering the mechanic is Kaylee, that really isn't a surprise."

"Well, considering the moonbrain is River, I'm not really surprised by this."

"Saw this coming, did you?"

"Yes."

Mal glared again.

Inara tried a different approach, "Just try to remember it's Jayne. Smart, no. Loyal, yes. He'll protect her," she stated.

"He tried to kill her."

He had a point. Inara shrugged. "Things change?" she offered.

"That is the lamest argument I've ever heard."

"I'm sure that's not true. I'm sure you've heard much worse come out of your own mouth." Inara turned and started out of the bridge before Mal could order her off it. As she left, she turned again and said, "Don't kill him, Mal. She'll never forgive you if you kill him."

Inara left Mal standing there in the middle of the bridge, arms crossed, a confused expression on his face. Inara almost laughed. It looked like he was thinking so hard. It must have hurt an awful lot.

The mule was rattling into the hold as Inara walked out onto the overpass. River jumped out as Jayne stomped up to the group. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Flirting with Zachy."

Jayne's face went bright red. Jaxon laughed. Jayne turned his attention to his little brother. "What are you snickering at? You clean up your own mess yet, boy?" Jaxon shut his mouth and shrunk back.

"He believed us, anyway," Simon interjected before Jayne could get too angry.

Mal joined Inara on the overpass. "And you left them a little present?"

River saluted Mal and nodded once.

"All right then, let's get this show on the move, Kaylee, you're with us. Inara and Jaxon, you go see that the house is ready."

"Kaylee should be at the house," River piped up.

Mal shook his head. "We need her in the engine room."

"Moonbrain can tell mercenary what to do in the engine room."

"River, she's our mechanic. Jayne's our gun. Two different jobs."

"Kaylee's pregnant," River stated, looking straight up at Mal. "She's not going to be bait. Or you can fly Serenity yourself. Captain and pilot. Two different jobs."

Inara watched Mal closely. She thought for sure he was going to have a heart attack. Now the poor man didn't know who to kill first. Jayne for looking twice at River. Simon for getting Kaylee pregnant. Or River for telling him about it and taking over his ship.

Mal took a deep breath. "Fine. Kaylee, you're staying at the house. Everybody, let's go."

"I don't get it, how'd you know that?" Jayne was asking as Inara led the other two out of the ship.

"Oh, please, Jayne, I knew when it happened," River said.

Beside her, Kaylee was going red.

"It's okay, Kaylee," Inara put her arm around her. "I'm sure she's kidding."

Behind them, Jaxon said, "Nah, I think she was pretty serious. Seems to me Moonbrain doesn't know how to joke."

Inara turned on him. "Her name is River."

Jaxon shrugged. "Sorry. Just, you know, Jayne says it like it's really her nickname."

"No. That's just Jayne being an ape," Kaylee said.

Jaxon shrugged again. They were at the porch. "Whatever. I guess it's some lovers thing."

Kaylee glared at him. "There is nothing going on between Jayne and River."

Jaxon put a hand on Kaylee's shoulder. "Just keep telling yourself that, girly."

They went inside and were immediately cornered by the barely standing Junni. "What the hell is going on? Mamma says ya'll are gonna blow up the Marshalls' warehouse?"

"More like an abandoned hanger, really."

"Oh, now, you listen here, smartass. Just 'cause I'm glad to see you back on the right side of things don't mean I won't whip your ass," Junni said, pointing a finger in Jaxon's face. Inara tried to usher the woman inside. "Well? Is it true?" The ground shook slightly as Serenity lifted off. "And where the hell are they going?"

Jaxon shrugged. "I do what I'm told. They told me to come to the house."

"They're leading the Marshalls away," Inara said.

"What? Oh, you've got to be kidding. They're going up against the Marshalls and no one thought to tell the Sheriff?"

"Well, no!" Jaxon yelled, putting his hands on Junni's shoulders and pushing her gently back into the house. "Because the gorram Sheriff is dead and his wife just got the crap kicked out of her!" He guided her into the living room and sat her down on the couch. "Now, you sit there and calm down. Think. You're not doing nobody any good. Look at you. Can barely move."

Junni glared up at him. Then she delivered a swift kick to his shin.

As Jaxon hopped around on one foot, Inara tried to soften the tension. "Mal knows what he's doing. He didn't want any of you to get hurt. That's why we're here and they're there."

Matty chose that moment to run into the room screaming. "The old hanger just exploded. Kapow!" he yelled, throwing his arms up in the air and spinning around in a circle in the middle of the room. "It looked so cool! Aunt Junni, you wouldn't believe it! Never seen so much fire in my life! It was amazing!" Matty said in awe.

Inara and Kaylee exchanged glances. "All right, get everyone together. Serenity's leading them away, but, just in case they come here anyway, we need everyone to be ready for them."

"I just hope you all are as good as you say you are," Junni said, struggling to her feet again. "Otherwise those boys will be on this house with a terrible mind for vengeance the likes of which ya'll have never seen."

"Oh, Aunt Junni, you don't know nothing!" Matty said defensively. "These here are the Browncoats we're talking 'bout. They fought for Independence. They never gave up without a fight. And even when it looks like they've been beat, they keep on fightin'. Cause they're Browncoats." Matty nodded. Then continued, as if he'd remembered there was more, "Besides, Junni, they've got River Tam and they've got Uncle Jayne. And together those two can do about anything, I think."

"Why do you say that, Matty?" Junni asked. "Ain't they normal people like everyone else?"

"Hell, no, Aunt Junni. They're the Browncoats's bestest and most secretest weapons. Not no gorram gang on some border planet gonna be able to take them down. Nope, Aunt Junni. No power in the 'verse can stop those two!" Matty smiled confidently.

Junni smacked him upside the head. "Stop yer cussin' and go get your Ma and Mamma and Miriam and get them down here.

"We're already here, sissy," Mamma Cobb said from the doorway. She was holding a rifle, as was Jasmine. Miriam held a shotgun a little too big for her, and even though Inara suspected the girl was scared out of her wits, the new Cobb kept her expression cold.

"See, Aunt Junni! No power in the 'verse can stop us, neither!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

River flew Serenity to the spot Mal had picked out. It was basically an empty valley. Jayne, standing at the doorway to the bridge, shook his head. "It's Hades. You've led us to Hades, Mal."

"It's a good place for a showdown. Look, nowhere to run."

"For us, you mean . . ."

"And no way they can surround us."

"If we're lucky the bombs would have destroyed most of their weapons. This should be about as even a battleground as we're going to get," Zoe said. "Neither side has much of an advantage. And it's out of the way."

"It's still called Hades. That don't sit right with me."

"Does anything ever sit right with you, Jayne?"

Jayne glared in response.

"All right, folks, let's go be heroes," Mal said, nodding to River. She set the boat down nice and easy and strapped on her weapon belt.

As she passed Jayne, the mercenary said, "You be careful, Moonbrain."

River smiled sweetly up at him. "You too, man-ape."

From his spot down the corridor, Mal gave them a curious look. River looked away as she stepped around him. Curse Inara and her big mouth.

River knew the moment the plan went wrong. The majority of what was left of the Marshalls gang arrived in Hades about ten minutes after they'd landed. But it wasn't all of them. There were only a dozen people coming their way, driving ATVs along the rocky foundation of the valley.

"That look like all of them to you, Sir?" Zoe asked.

Mal didn't answer, just stared out at them.

The ATVs came to a halt, and Mercury Marshall hopped out. Anger was coming off of him in waves. Actually, in River's experience, Mercury Marshall was always angry. Not as angry as Marcus, but angry enough. Now there was something else lurking in Mercury's head. He'd been outsmarted and he didn't like it. His ego was destroyed, his mind riddled with shame. Even deeper, there was a fear of never getting off this rock. A fear of the dark. And the fear of having let his little brother down.

Zacharias hadn't gotten out of the hanger.

It wasn't a surprise to River that Mercury started shooting first without bothering with any small talk.

Chaos ensued, and River tried to go somewhere else while she shot. Her mind ended up on Inara.

That's when she realized Marcus Marshall wasn't with his brother. Marcus had gone to the Cobb farm to exact his own sort of revenge. He liked to hurt women. River hoped they put a bullet to him soon. Through Kaylee River felt Marcus and several other members of the gang storm the farmhouse. Fear. Adrenaline. Shots were fired. Miriam was hurt.

The gang members were hurt worse.

Then there was only Marcus, held at gunpoint. River felt it as sure as if she was actually there. Junni held a gun to his head. Marcus started laughing. "No way a sheriff just kills a man ain't got his weapon anymore."

"I ain't the sheriff."

A single shot fired. Marcus Marshall fell the ground. The wounded gang members gave up. The excitement at the Cobb farm had only lasted minutes.

River came back to her own position. She was huddled in the hold. These were the better shots of the gang. She was behind the mule, letting most of the fighting go on without her. She didn't like this part. Every now and then she saw Jayne shoot her a look. He was trying to make sure she was all right. Of course she was all right. She was River Tam.

She heard the ATVs start to leave. She wondered where they were going now. Mercury intended to cut his losses and try again. Regroup and come back after the Browncoats had gone. He was going to start by burning the Cobb farm to the ground. He was going to kill the sheriff and take over Styx himself. He'd had it with law enforcement and Browncoats. People were going to respect him. They were going to obey him. Or they would all die.

"They're running for it," Mal yelled. It was only Mercury and two others now. Mal was busy deciding whether or not to let the kid go. River acted on his behalf. She jumped on the mule and went for it, barreling out of the hold like a bat out of . . . Well, out of Hades.

She heard Jayne yell behind her, and felt the mule lurch as he jumped on the back.

"What the hell are you doing, you stupid Moonbrain?"

"He won't stop, Jayne!" River yelled back.

"I hope you've at least got a plan, going after them like this. Or are you just planning to wing it?"

"Well, plans never have really worked for this crew . . ."

"River - "

"I have to stop him, Jayne."

She sped up. Back on Serenity she knew Mal and Zoe were trying to figure out what exactly to do. Simon was panicking. Zoe was thinking that at least Jayne had had the good sense to jump on with River. At least she wasn't alone.

River sighed. It seemed she never was really alone.

"You want to jump off, Jayne," River warned as they caught up to the other ATV.

"What are you going to do?"

"Just get ready to jump!" River yelled back. She sped up as fast as the mule could go. She could feel it was about to give out. Luckily, that's exactly what she was counting on. Mercury saw them but thought she was going to turn. No one, not even River Tam, could be crazy enough to . . .

She ran the mule right into them, jumping off at the last second before collision. Jayne had jumped just before she did, as soon as he'd realized what she was up to. They both rolled across the ground as the mule exploded into the ATV. Jayne caught up to River and threw himself on top of her to shield her from the blast. The fireball was enough to keep them down a few more seconds.

"Some plan, River," Jayne muttered as he got up and brushed himself off. A second later he jerked backward and fell back to the ground. River looked behind her and saw Mercury through the smoke, his gun still pointed at them.

River rushed to Jayne's side and tried to keep calm, but there was so much blood. She couldn't concentrate. She couldn't see anything but the bullet lodged near Jayne's heart. She couldn't hear anything but her own heart beat, and she didn't know what to do.

Jayne was staring at her. She looked into his eyes. He'd always known some day someone would put a bullet to him. For a while he'd even thought it would be Mal. That particular scenario had returned to his head recently. Jayne didn't want to leave. He had a lot to do before he left.

River put pressure on his wound, and tried again to calm down.

It was difficult without an amygdala.

"Get up, witch," Mercury ordered. She understood now what had happened. Mercury and the others had jumped. They wouldn't get away as quickly, at least. She'd stopped him for a moment, anyway.

Jayne was grateful she'd tried. Grateful that she would save his family even if he couldn't.

River shook her head.

"Nice and slow, River Tam," Mercury said. River rose. She was good, but she wasn't good enough to dodge three bullets at once. At least, not while distracted by Jayne.

"You know, Zacharias really liked you. He thought you'd come with us. He thought you two had something." Mercury laughed. "But you were just using him. I should have known. Should have had Marcus kill you instead of beating up Clayton's woman."

A snap inside Jayne's head.

"They never did anything without your orders, did they?" River asked. Her back was still to him. Mercury didn't want to shoot her in the back. He wanted her to suffer. Well, he'd just have to wait a minute, then. Until River got it together. She couldn't tell exactly where they were back there, just that they were there. She needed to take them all out at once.

"Of course not. They were too stupid to do anything without me."

"What do you plan to do now, huh? Restart the Marshall Brothers gang with just one Marshall?"

"What?"

"Marcus is dead, you idiot. The Clayton woman shot him. Served him right, too. He liked to hurt folk too much, especially women."

"That's what made him good at what he did. You're going to do something, you might as well like it." Mercury laughed again. He was loosing it. "What? You don't think your man there doesn't enjoy what he does for a living?"

"He's a soldier."

"He's a piece of murdering filth. He likes killing. He's gotten a taste for it. Just happened to find himself in with the Browncoats. He doesn't believe in the cause. No way no how. I know all about why he left Achilles. I know how he ended up on the Serenity."

"It's just Serenity."

"Whatever. The point is he's just like us. What do you think of that, eh? Witch?"

"He's not like you," River said. Jayne was looking up at her. He believed it, too. She couldn't understand it. How could he think he was as bad as Mercury Marshall? Jayne had never killed without a good reason. Or, well, a fair reason. And he'd never hurt a woman. He never would hurt a woman. But Jayne was thinking about all the times he'd betrayed her. Before she was crew. Before they were a team. Before she pointed and he shot. Before she was his Moonbrain.

"Point," River mouthed. Jayne was confused. "Point," she said softly.

"What was that, witch?"

"I'm not a witch." She gripped her last weapon, the beautiful little laser pistol, tucked away in her belt where no one could see it except Jayne. Jayne got it. He looked hard at the three men behind River. She saw them through his eyes. "I'm a Moonbrain," River said, pivoting and delivering three fatal laser shots to the last members of the Marshalls gang.

River dropped her birthday gift on the ground beside Jayne. He was unconscious now. Still alive, but barely. She wondered where the hell her brother was. She tried to will Jayne to wake up. She had to tell him that she meant it. He wasn't like the Marshalls. He was Jayne, her Jayne. Good Jayne. She had to tell him so he'd know. He thought he was so bad. So bad for her and so bad for the world. He didn't know that River had forgiven him a long time ago, that Jasmine had forgiven him. That everyone knew he was a good man.

"Jayne. If you die on me, I will never forgive you," she said in his ear. He heard her. He didn't know what to do about it, but he heard her. Then River heard the shuttle land a few yards away.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Jayne woke up in his old room. Jayne shifted slightly and felt a pain in his chest. Then he was pounced upon by an eight-year-old body.

"Uncle Jayne! You're alive!"

"Really? You sure?" Jayne asked.

Matty nodded. "I told 'em all no power in the 'verse could stop you, Jayne! Not you and especially not Auntie River."

Jayne raised an eyebrow. "Auntie River?"

"Yup. She said I could call her that." Matty nodded proudly. "She also said that Auntie Moonbrain was acceptable. I think she'd prefer Auntie River, though." Matty thought a moment. "Besides, Uncle Jaxon says you's the only one allowed to call River Moonbrain, and iffen anybody else does, they'll have to answer to Auntie Kaylee."

"Everyone's all right then, little man?"

"Everyone but you," Matty said. "You was shot."

Is that what happened? Jayne would never have guessed. The kid continued.

"Uncle Simon had to cut you open and pull out the bullet. And Auntie River was real worried for a few days. And Uncle Captain wouldn't answer any of my questions, and Auntie 'Nara said I wouldn't understand and not to worry but just pray. Then she lit some smelly stuff in the kitchen. That's when I got real confused and Ma told me I could stand guard and make sure you kept breathing."

"You done good, boy. Now, go get Auntie River fer me, will ya?"

Matty shook his head. "Nope. I'm under strickest of orders to go get Uncle Simon the moment you wake up. And I've already messed those orders up, so I better go get him now." Matty jumped off the bed and bounded to the door. Before he left, he turned and asked, "You won't be telling Uncle Captain I didn't follow orders, will ya?"

Jayne shook his head. No. He wouldn't be telling Uncle Captain. He laughed as the kid ran off down the hall. It hurt. He made a mental note not to try it again.

"He thinks all adults who aren't called Ma or Mamma must be an Uncle or Auntie," River said from the doorway. She was leaning against the doorframe, watching him, her head tilted slightly, causing her hair to cascade sideways. She was wearing a blue calico dress that only reached her knees. She wasn't wearing any shoes. Jayne smiled. She smiled back. That's when Jayne realized she'd been crying. "Simon didn't think you would wake up. Mal wasn't looking forward to putting you in the ground. Zoe was thinking real hard about Wash," River let her voice trail off. "I'm glad you're back, Jayne."

"Glad to be back, River."

Simon stepped into the room, followed closely by Matty, who was leading Mal into the room by the hand. "See, I told ya he was alive!" Matty said. "They didn't believe me, Uncle Jayne. But I told him. 'Uncle Jayne's alive,' I said. And I grabbed 'em and brought 'em, just liken they told me to." Jayne was glad when River took Matty out of the room.

"Gave us quite a scare, there, Jayne. Why'd ya go and get yourself shot for?" Mal asked.

Jayne shrugged slightly. Winced.

Simon said that Jayne would be just fine. In a couple days he'd even be able to move around. Jayne rolled his eyes. He was sick of bedrest already. They had to leave as soon as Jayne was able to move. It had been that long that Jayne had been out. He hated feeling like he was missing something.

The next day Jayne reluctantly stayed in bed. It would have been better if only River was nursing him. If wishes were horses, Jayne would have steak every day. In and out the members of the crew came. Even Inara. But she was chased out by Mamma Cobb, who said she had to talk to him alone.

"Is everything back to normal now, Mamma?" Jayne asked.

Mamma sighed at him. She shook her head. "They've got a new sheriff already. They ain't pressing charges on any of us for the Marshalls, but the new one's got a long memory. He wants you off this rock like you wouldn't believe. Says he's givin' you one more day to get yer ass off Achilles, or he's coming after ya with a noose and a pine box."

Jayne avoided her eyes. "Yeah, sounds like everything's back to normal then."

"I'm glad you came home, Jayne boy." Jayne looked back at her. "I'm sure grateful the Lord gave me a son like you." Jayne smiled and started to thank her, but she interupted him. "But you have got to be the biggest idiot this side of the 'verse!"

"What?" Jayne asked.

"You better not let that sweet little thing get hurt, you understand me? She's too sweet for you to start with. You gotta do right by her, you understand me?"

"Mamma, who'er - "

"Oh! River, you dumbass. You treat her proper, or you'll have me to answer to!" Mamma Cobb pointed accusingly at Jayne.

"I will, Mamma. I'll treat her okay."

"Okay ain't good enough, Jayne Cobb. You be good to her. You do right by her even iffen it's not what you want, you understand? You put her before you. That's the way it ought to be. River before Jayne. You got it?"

Jayne nodded. Mamma was right, as always.

There was a light knock at the door. Mamma threw it open on her way out. "Doc Tam says you should try to move around soon," Jasmine said from the doorway. "The Captain says now. New sheriff's not keepin' his word."

Jayne almost jumped up.

"Easy, Jayney," Jasmine said, rushing forward to help him up.

As she let him lean on her, Jayne met Jasmine's eyes. "Jas - "

"You ain't got ta say nothin'. That's what family is. Not havin' to say nothin'."

Jayne shook his head. "Some things need sayin', big sister. You oughta know, I didn't go there to kill 'im."

Jasmine nodded, avoiding his eyes. "I know," she said. "I get it, Jayne. I do." She looked back up at him. "You're a better man than I originally thought, Jayne Cobb. Don't think I'm likely to forget it anytime soon, neither."

"What makes you say that?"

"Matty's downstairs on yer old guitar trying to write a song 'bout yer bravery and yer defeatin' death," Jasmine said. Jayne laughed. It didn't hurt quite so bad now.

With River and Mal's help, Jayne got on board Serenity and they were off world. He'd finish his recovery from his bunk on Serenity.

Late that night, Jayne got to thinking about River. Now that they were back on the ship, the problems with River kept firing at him like bullets. She was too young for him. She was Simon's little sister. Mal had practically adopted her. Jayne even doubted the women onboard Serenity would be all right with them together. Inara probably knew there was an attraction, but she also thought Jayne was a horndog. Which wasn't entirely inaccurate, but that wasn't the point. Even Kaylee was sure to raise an eyebrow. Would it really be best for River to get involved with Jayne? Jayne couldn't figure how it would be good for her to be with him. Then there was the line of work they were in. Splitting loyalties and all that. There was something to be said for avoiding shipboard romances. It wasn't just Mal's crazy talk.

Somewhere between wanting River and wanting to be a good man, Jayne made his decision. He was leaving Serenity as soon as they rendeavued with Monty. He'd save her from herself, he decided. No way they would end well. He might as well get the inevitable over with. She would be angry, probably even hate him forever. But if it saved her, Jayne could live with River hating him.

Jayne caught Mal alone on the bridge the next day. He didn't know where River was, probably with Kaylee and Inara, but he was glad he hadn't seen her most of the day. Just at breakfast, when she glared at him but said nothing.

"There something you needed, Jayne?" Mal asked.

"I was hopin' when we get to Khonsu you could put in a good word for me to transfer."

"Transfer? Leaving Serenity?" Jayne nodded. Mal shook his head. "Nobody bribing you to leave without my knowing it, are they?"

"Just time for a change."

Mal shook his head again. "You know, just when I thought I had you figured out, you go and do something even more moonbrained - "

"Ah, hell, Mal, I'm trying to do the right thing here."

"The right thing? Leaving the crew that just spent the only leave they've had in months saving your little brother from a street gang?" Mal laughed. "Yeah, that's the right thing."

"Can you put in a good word for me or not?"

"I ain't gonna help you do something stupid, Jayne," Mal said.

"Fine. Not like I need your permission. Not like I'm a real Browncoat or nothin'."

Jayne turned to leave the bridge. It was useless. He'd just have to talk to Monty or someone on his own. His reputation was good enough to get him a job basically anywhere he wanted. They probably wouldn't even make him really enlist. Just give him a gun and point him at the Alliance bastards. The only weapon in the 'verse better than Jayne Cobb was River Tam.

"I know what this is really about, Jayne," Mal said, his voice low. When Jayne stopped and turned back, Mal said, even lower, "River. I've seen the way she's been looking at you. Damn near lost her mind all over again when you were shot."

"Mal, nothin's happened. I swear. I haven't touched - "

"I know that, Jayne. But you ain't listen' to me. It ain't just you. You gotta think about her."

"I am. That's why I'm gonna get off this boat so she can - "

"What? So she can have a normal life? Jayne, she's River Tam. She's not gonna have a normal life. The best she can hope for is to have a happy one, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but, you might just be the best bet she has at that."

Now Jayne was the confused one.

"Look, what do you think happens after you leave? When she sees that you're alive but choosing to leave her anyway? How do you think that poor girl, who feels every gorram thing in the 'verse is gonna take it?"

"She's stronger than that, Mal."

"No, she ain't, Jayne. She's just a girl - " Mal stopped short and corrected " - woman." He looked Jayne in the eye. "Who loves you."

Jayne looked at Mal. He was being serious. He wasn't angry. "Bet that hurt to say."

"More than you will ever know."

"So, then, what? We have your blessing?"

"You stick around, treat her proper, and," Mal stopped again. A pained expression crossed his face, "And I guess you have my blessing." The expression on Mal's face suggested he'd just thrown up a little.

It was odd. Why hadn't Mal thrown him out the airlock? Did it matter? Not really. Jayne shook his head. With Mal's permission, it was like all the reasons to leave were swept away. "Figure I won't need that good word from ya after all, Mal."

"Good. Now get offa my bridge and go find the Albatross."

She was hiding in her bunk, glaring at the door as he entered.

"Hey, Moonbrain." A pillow flew at his head. Jayne caught it and tossed it aside. "What was that for?" he asked.

River rose from her bed and shoved Jayne against a wall. "You were going to leave me."

Jayne shrugged. "Can't do something smart -"

"Do something right. But it wasn't right, Jayne."

"So Mal said."

"So, what, you think just because Mal said you could stay and be with me that I'm just going to let you? After what you tried to pull?" River asked, glaring up at him. Jayne was thanking his lucky stars she wasn't going all Moonbrained on him and kicking his ass.

"Well, I gotta stick around. Occurred to me someone's gotta look out for you. Keep you safe. Shoot for ya when ya can't and whatnot."

"And who the hell made you my protector?" River asked.

Jayne grabbed her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her full on the lips before he answered. "Self appointed."

"You are such a Moonbrain," River said, shaking her head. At least now she was smiling.

"Takes one to know one," Jayne replied, kissing her again. Maybe he wouldn't mind bedrest so much, after all.


End file.
